Of Sinking Ships and Bad Luck
by darkladywolf
Summary: What started as a simple long-term mission ended with a terrible shipwreck and Sakura suddenly found herself thrown in a situation, unlike anything she had ever experienced in her life. *I do not own Naruto and/or Akatsuki no Yona*
1. Chapter 1

Sakura wanted to puke. She wanted to spit her guts out.

She also wanted to break the face of the sailor that was leering at her from the other side of the deck. She rolled her eyes and tried to focus her gaze on the horizon, hoping it would somehow alleviate her seasickness. It did little to help. The endless vastness of the sea spread in every direction and Sakura was sure it had been at least a month since the last time she had laid eyes on dry land.

As impressive as the huge vessel was, the young kunoichi couldn't really find it in herself to enjoy the rhythmic bouncing of the ship on the waves. She wasn't used to this kind of travel and she couldn't say she was particularly enjoying this experience. She got seasick at least once a day and the lack of anything resembling cover against a possible enemy attack made her uneasy. She knew that there was little to no chance that anybody would actually attack them in the middle of the high seas-especially considering this was a huge trading ship armed to the teeth, ready to repel any possible threat-but it was hard silencing years upon years of survival instincts.

She focused her gaze on the sea. Despite her dislike towards sea traveling, she couldn't say the same thing for the sea itself. Waves came, transient, yet always there, rising, falling. They scattered the light, the hue of the water ever changing yet always familiar, always blue. How could she fail to love them as they danced inward to crash against the vessel's sides? How could she fail to appreciate the salty air or the pleasantly cold caress of the breeze?

She felt the white salt spray on her cheeks every now and then. A layer of salt had encrusted her eyelashes and she could taste it over her cracked lips. She closed her eyes to the lullaby of the ocean, breathing in its salty breath. The ocean breeze whispered like a lover, placing salty kisses on her cheeks and tousling her long pink locks. It playfully filled the sails of the ship, fluttering its flags and pushing the clouds along. She smiled and stretched out her bare hand like a starfish to feel it wrap around her fingers. That day the breeze told only of sweetness and joy.

Above the white-tipped waves, the seagulls owned the skies. The light of the sun was oddly bright, casting the gulls into dark shadows against a sky of palest blue. Their wings beat, hugging the air as they drifted on unseen thermals. For a few moments they had Sakura's eyes, keeping her spun into some sort of daydream. Their wings beat salty air as they approached the sails and flew parallel to the ship's sides, hours into their haul even though the day was still young. They cried and made their inverted arcs, hungry, tenacious. The crew members waved them away, though truth be told, they loved them too. For what would the sea be without the squawking of the gulls? The air would be empty and their ears grieving for that most wonderful of terrible melodies.

Sakura sighed. Despite the seasickness, the perverted sailors and the relentless heat of the sun, it was nice being away from the village after so long. She certainly wouldn't have accepted this mission so easily had she known that it involved such a long voyage, but deep down she knew that she would have said yes either way. She loved her village deeply but sometimes she couldn't help but feel…..encaged.

And Sasuke's return had only made things harder for her. While she was glad that the War was finally over, her relationship with her former teammate had made little to no progress. Sasuke was still the same silent, brooding man and she couldn't help but remember all those times he had tried to hurt them every time she saw him. It was hard suppressing all those bitter memories and for the time being she couldn't-or wasn't willing to-be the bigger person.

Naruto and many in the village had chosen to forget everything Sasuke had done because of his involvement in winning the War but she hadn't. And she couldn't help the instinctive urge not to be anywhere near him whenever Team 7 had training or dinner together. It was ironic how a few years back she would have killed for the opportunity to be around the lone Uchiha survivor.

She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind. She wasn't willing to allow Sasuke or anybody else to spoil her first long-term mission outside Konoha in more than a year. Thank the Gods, Tsunade was more observant than what people gave her credit for and she had noticed her young apprentice's restlessness almost immediately.

During her travels, Tsunade had made more acquaintances than most people did in a lifetime. And a visit to Emperor Il's lands for rare-herb gathering was the perfect excuse to get the pink-haired medic out of the village and give her the breath of fresh air that she so desperately needed.

It was kind of exciting, knowing that she would be appearing before an Emperor and his royal Court but also kind of stressful. While she was a courteous person and knew how to treat others-especially her superiors- with respect, she was sure it was going to be a bit awkward at first. Imperial Palaces and Royal Families had completely different sets of rules than shinobi Villages. While every shinobi showed respect to their respective Kage, in the Imperial Palace even a mere slip of the tongue could get you thrown in the dungeons.

With those thoughts, the young ninja pushed herself off the ship's bow and crossed the deck, heading for her cabin. She paid no attention to the annoying sailor from before and disappeared behind the door that led to the lower parts of the ship where the cabin the captain had so kindly offered her was located.

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura woke up with a start.

Quickly throwing the covers aside, she jumped to her feet. She immediately realized that the ship was swaying uncomfortably fast. She could hear the wind hollowing outside and from the scuttle of her cabin she could see that the sea had turned black and ferocious. She hurried up the steps to the deck, losing her balance at least twice in the process.

When she reached the deck, everything was in pandemonium.

On the high seas, sailors tried to prepare for sudden, violent storms but this reached far beyond any storm Sakura had ever encountered in her life. The thunder seemed to crack the air, almost as if the heavens were about to split apart. It rolled like the ashen cloud of a volcano, becoming a rolling, booming rumble. It declared to all the raw power of nature and gave fair warning of the wrath that was to come. It rolled like the fury of the Gods.

Lightning came like a rip in the inky night, as if behind the dark canvass was a brilliant light just waiting to flood through any crack no matter how small. Streaks of pure white cracked against a stormy blanket of black, shrouding hot dark grey clouds with its blinding incandescence, emanating the might of the ongoing tempest.

Violent gusts of wind swept the deck, rattling the ropes and wrestling the sails and fiercely agitating the flames of the laps, blowing most of them out. Its roar was deafening, almost making the young medic to rock back on her heels. It was biting and harsh and it chilled her to the bone.

Even though most of them were veteran sailors, the men struggled to get the sails down and tie them off. They slipped on the rain soaked deck. Overcoming a momentary wave of panic at the sight of their frightened faces, Sakura jumped to their side, hoping to offer whatever help she could. She grabbed onto ropes, ignoring the sting and the feeling of them digging into the flesh of her hands, burning her skin.

The wind slammed the rain into their faces like tiny stones and threw their hair in their eyes, impairing their vision even more. The ship pressed, first up waves at forty-five degrees, and then crashed down, jarring their bones. At one point the waves spun the vessel sideways violently. The held tightly onto the mast, onto ropes, onto anything they could get their hands on.

The waves grew so large that the vessel was dwarfed, riding up and down the mighty swelling sea like a child's toy. Is there any more desolate feeling than the mighty swelling of the ocean beneath one's feet and nothing on the horizon but more of the same?

Sakura watched horrified as one of the smaller masts gave away under the wind and waves. It broke off almost to the middle and was flung at two unlucky sailors, taking them with it as it was driven off board.

The clouds above her oozed and billowed across the pitch black sky, the violent winds whipping her pink locks around her face. It was terrifying and left her completely hopeless. Fear gripped her heart as she took a look around. The sailors appeared to have given up on trying to secure the sails and were focused on not being swept away by the waves attacking the deck. She didn't know how long they could keep that up. She would probably last more than any of them but things seemed bleak ever for her. Out on the high seas, thrown off course by the wind and waves and with no sight of land, her fate was almost sealed.

And that's when it came. A wave so huge and terrifying and violent that Sakura felt tears gather at the corner of her eyes as the faces of her friends flashed before her eyes. It was as if that wave enclosed all the wrath of the God Poseidon, angry and devastating as it swallowed the ship, tearing the sails and shattering the masts and destroying everything. It threw the vessel around like a rag doll, hopeless and defenseless and nothing but a mere pile of soaked wood and rope.

Sakura felt herself hit the water as the last of the ship was swallowed by the ocean, the waves pushing it down into the cold embrace of the sea. The freezing water pierced her skin, though she could feel little else. Her lungs were quickly running out of oxygen and she started feeling lightheaded and numb and losing touch on reality.

And then everything went dark.

XxxOxOxOxxX

"So, this priest of yours lives here?"

"Yun, did you once live here too?" asked Jeaha.

The young boy smiled at the memories as his blue eyes took in the comfortingly familiar sight of the valley. "That's right. It hasn't been that long, but it feels like I've been gone for years." He said, quickening his pace. Yona smiled at his eagerness.

The company reached the familiar hut in no time as Yun led them through the valley. His smile widened and his hand trembled slightly with excitement as his fingers closed around the knob. He burst through the door excitedly.

"Ik-Su! We are back!"

The first thing they all noticed was the small hearth and the boiling pot sitting over a fire, the smell of cooking meat wafting through the small house and making their mouths water. As far as they knew, the eccentric priest had no culinary skills.

The second was the form of said priest laying on a cot on their right, further inside the hut, away from the annoying rays of the sun so that his sleep wouldn't be disturbed. There were bandages carefully wrapped around his forehead. A bowl filled with water and a clean rag were placed beside his head.

Yun gasped at the sight and hurried to the man's side. "Ik-Su!"

The others watched worriedly as the younger boy proceeded to check the blonde man for any sign of injury though his breathing appeared steady and there was nothing particularly worrying about his appearance, excluding the bandages around his head.

"Yun? Is everything all-" started Yona but was cut off by the biggest surprise of that eventful day.

"Oi! What do you think you are doing?"

They all turned around abruptly, startled by the sound of the foreign voice since nobody had taken notice of any foreign presence. Their eyes drank in the sight of the young woman-not much older than Yona; a couple of years older at best-with the long pink locks and the calculating emerald eyes, standing at the door. Her clothes were slightly tattered but clean and there was a basket filled with herbs hanging from her arm. She was watching them carefully, passing her gaze over them and almost immediately falling on the weapons strapped to their backs. Her eyes narrowed.

Yun jumped to his feet, standing in front of Ik-Su protectively. "Who are you?"

The young woman rolled her green eyes and walked inside nonchalantly, walking over to Ik-Su. She kneeled beside the sleeping man and placed her basket beside her bent knees. "It is impolite to ask for someone's name before providing yours." she said and her voice sounded calm and collected, not the least bit surprised by their appearance. She unwrapped the bandages from around the priest's forehead and they all managed to see the long, bloody gash above his eyebrow. She took some ashen-green leaves from her basket and placed them carefully on the wound before re-wrapping it with clean bandages.

Yun stared at her for a moment before he remembered that she was still a complete stranger. "I'm Yun and these are my friends." he said and proceeded to introduce everyone. "I used to live here with Ik-Su."

The woman stood, throwing her rosy hair behind her shoulder. "Ah, the priest spoke of you. I'm glad to be finally meeting you." she answered and smiled.

"Will you give us your name now, my lady?" said Jeaha and was startled by the greenness of her eyes when she raised her gaze to meet his.

The woman's smile widened and she bowed her head courteously. "My name is Sakura, Haruno Sakura."

 **THE END…..OR NOT**

 **Hey guys!**

 **Potential new project here with a Naruto/Akatsuki no Yona Crossover. I might continue it depending on the feedback this will get. Haven't decided on a pairing or if there's even gonna be one so I'm open to suggestions.**

 **If I continue this, I need to clarify that I've never read the manga. I'm doing this solely based on what happens in the anime. I have no idea what happens after the season's finale so if this continues, it'll probably largely different than the manga chapters. So to those that have read the manga, please bear with me.**

 **I hope you liked this and would love to hear your opinion. Tell me if you'd like me to continue this.**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura handed Yona the last bowl of the meat soup she had prepared and sat down across from the unusual company. "Forgive me for not having more to offer you. I wasn't prepared for visitors." she said and smiled.

"We are grateful, my lady. Your hospitality is most appreciated." answered the white-haired one, Kija.

The pink-haired woman's smile widened and she chuckled. "I'm afraid our original host is currently unable to carry out his duties. You'll have to make do with me." she said lightheartedly and glanced at the recovering priest.

Yun followed her gaze, his own forehead creased with worry. "What's wrong with Ik-Su?"

"He's suffering from exhaustion and malnourishment. Also, that gash above his eyebrow was already infected when I started the treatment." she said calmly.

Yona gasped and set her bowl down. "Is he going to be ok?"

Sakura smiled reassuringly at the younger girl. "He's going to be as good as new by next week. The infection is gone and the wound is slowly but surely closing. All he needs is rest and a few good meals. There is nothing to worry about, Yona-Hime."

The young medic remained composed when the tall dark-haired warrior, Hak, jumped to his feet and pointed his weapon at her, very close to her jugular. She kept herself from rolling her eyes. What a predictable reaction…

"Hak! Don't do that!" exclaimed Yona but he paid her no mind.

"How do you know who she is?" he demanded, glaring at the medic heatedly. "Who sent you?"

Sakura continued regarding him calmly. She used her forefinger to push the blade away from her neck, doing it slowly and keeping her posture as docile and unthreatening as she could. "Please lower your weapon and calm yourself."

"Like hell I will." he growled. "Now answer me. How do you know who she is and what do you want from us?"

' _They never get it the easy way, do they?'_ Sakura sighed. "As I've already said, there is no need to be alarmed. If it were in my plans to end you, we wouldn't be talking right now." she said matter-of-factly, making Hak's eyes narrow even more and causing Kija to stand.

"You think that a lone woman could take us on all on her own and emerge victorious?" wondered Kija, slightly flexing his claws, a notion that didn't go unnoticed by the pink-haired kunoichi. "You are underestimating us."

"Or you are overestimating yourselves." she answered back, pinning the white-haired dragon with her emerald gaze. "Now, I do not think that it's in the best interests of any of us to start a fight here." she continued, redirecting her eyes to Hak before passing them over the rest of the company. "Calm yourself and lower your weapon. There won't be a fight today, Raiju."

Startled by the use of that name by a woman he had just met, Hak faltered slightly and he eventually retreated, taking his place beside Yona once more. His eyes watched the pink-haired woman like a hawk but Sakura never doubted his prowess or his intention to protect the princess to the death. Tsunade's sources proved right once more. The young medic waited until everyone was settled before speaking up.

"Now that everybody's calm, I think it's about time I told you my story." she started, observing them carefully and seemingly nonchalant. It was easier talking to someone that didn't perceive you as a threat but she guessed her previous abrupt revelation of her knowledge of Yona's true identity hadn't helped much.

"As you can see, were are all ears." said Jeaha, motioning to the lot of them, his violet eyes staying focused on the peculiar stranger.

"Good." answered Sakura with a pleasant smile, hoping to ease the tension from before. "As I've already told you, my name is Sakura and I am what you would call a healer. My home is so far away from here that I'm sure you wouldn't know the name, even if I told you. So I'll just get to the point."

She pointedly ignored Hak's muffled "About damn time."

"I was sent here by my Master, the leader of my hometown. She was a friend of the late Emperor Il." She turned to Yona and bowed her head in respect. "Even though delayed, I'd like to offer my condolences and pass my Master's best wishes to you, Yona-Hime."

The younger girl smiled and murmured a muffled but heartfelt "Thank you."

Sakura smiled at her before continuing her story. "I was supposed to present myself at Emperor Il's Court and request permission to gather herbs and plants that we rarely ever find on our soil. My Master contacted Emperor Il and within a fortnight we received answer that I would be welcomed." She passed her gaze over their faces. "I booked my place on a trading ship heading here and we set sail almost a month ago. And then everything went downhill." Without her knowledge, her fists tightened on her lap as memories from that fateful night flooded her mind. "The storm hit us without as much as a warning and it was terrible. We were in the middle of the ocean with no land in the horizon and the sea trying to swallow us whole." She heard a gasp and she raised her head to see Yona staring at her with wide eyes.

"We were thrown overboard and after a while I lost sight of both the ship and its crew. The freezing water and the exhaustion from fighting the waves soon took their toll on me and I fell unconscious. I never expected to wake up, but I did and out of a sudden, I found myself surrounded by half a dozen foreign faces. Apparently, the waves had washed me up near a port town and some fishermen had found me. They took me to shore and offered me food and a blanket to warm me up. I probably owe my life to those people."

Sakura smiled affectionately at the memory of their weathered but kind faces. "I took off on my own soon after but not before gathering some information. That's how I learned of Emperor Il's untimely demise and Yona-Hime's presumed death. It wasn't hard to recognize your identities when I first saw you."

"That's a pretty interesting story you have there, but it doesn't explain how you came to find this place and Ik-Su." said Yun, glancing at the pink-haired woman suspiciously.

"That was purely by chance I assure you." Sakura chuckled. "I was wandering around, looking for shelter after a few days of walking when I stumbled upon a small stream of fresh water. I followed it, hoping I would find a cave or some other kind of shelter when I came upon this small house. That's when I found Ik-Su. He was already suffering from malnourishment, exhaustion and his wound was infected. So I took it upon myself to nurse him back to health. These lands are rich in healing herbs, it wasn't hard to find everything I needed."

"So you simply decided to nurse a complete stranger back to health?" wondered Jeaha, appearing nonchalant though Sakura was perfectly aware of his violet eyes watching her carefully.

She smiled reassuringly. "I'm a healer, that's what I do. What choice did I have anyway? In a land I don't know, how far can I go without guidance?" And though that wasn't entirely true-even if she had ended up wandering on her own, eventually she would have gotten her bearings and found a way home-she had to make them trust her as soon as possible. She couldn't stay in this hut indefinitely. She had to find a way home, not to mention carry out her mission. Tsunade had given her every bit of information she had on every important figure of Emperor Il's Court. While the man's untimely death had complicated things, her unexpected meeting with the lost princess and the famed Raiju made things a little bit easier for her. She had no idea who the rest of the unusual party were or how they ended up travelling together, but this group was her best shot at finding a way to get back to Konoha.

"So, my father…He knew about you?" Yona's timid question shifted the kunoichi's attention to the younger girl.

"Of course he did. As I've already told you, my Master was Emperor Il's friend. Her message was well-received by the Emperor, who gladly gave me permission to carry out my mission on his lands." The answer seemed to please the red-haired princess, who smiled widely at the young medic.

"And now the question arises." interjected Hak, still more than a little suspicious of the foreign healer. "What is your purpose now? Emperor Il is dead and the Capital is no longer what it used to be. I doubt you would be well-received there."

Sakura could feel the weight of seven pairs of eyes on her person as they awaited her reply. Hak was right, that was the only important question. The answer was pretty clear to her, truth be told. After all, what choice did she have?

The pink-haired woman sighed, intertwining her fingers on her lap. "I figured as much. I might not know much about the new regime, but I do have some experience with overthrown leaders and their ambitious successors." she said, her mind flying to Danzo and that dreadful time in Konoha's history. "As a last gift of my Master to the late Emperor Il, I will accompany you on your travels and serve as your healer until I complete my mission and the time comes for me to return home. That is, if you'll have me."

She could see the surprise on their faces and she couldn't really blame them. Heck, had she been in their place, she would have already pulled out a kunai. In the corner of her eye she noticed Hak open his mouth to speak, undoubtedly to express his strong opposition when suddenly, Yona stood.

"We would be honored to have you." said the red-haired princess, smiling widely and extending her hand to the kneeling rosette.

"But Yona-Hime-"

"Leave it, Hak. This is my decision."

Sakura stared at the young girl, before chuckling. "It's settled then." she said, taking the princess's offered hand.

"That means…." started Yun, trailing off at the end.

"That means I'm coming with you."

 **TBC (Probably…..)**

 **So, I have to admit that I'm really warming up to this project. Also, thank you very much for your wonderful reviews. I never expected this to get so much positive feedback considering how narrow this certain fandom is. So, thank you! I greatly appreciate the fact that you spent time to tell me your opinion. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint you even though not many things happen. There will be a next chapter most likely and I promise things will get more interesting. Review to tell me your opinion, also I still haven't decided on the pairing so I'm open to suggestions.**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Thank you so much for everything you've done, Sakura-chan. I certainly owe you a lot." said Ik-Su, smiling sheepishly at the younger woman and rubbing his bandaged head awkwardly.

"Please don't thank me, Ik-Su-san. I feel like a trespasser, using your house and your property like that without your permission." she answered, offering the man a smile of her own. Ik-Su was a difficult man not to like. He was almost like a child, kind-hearted and generous to a fault. Sakura was quite fond of him, despite knowing him for just a short while. In a strange, goofy way he reminded her of Naruto.

"Don't say that!" argued the man. "You were a God-sent gift. Had you not shown up, things would have been a lot worse for me."

"Of course they would have been worse, you idiot-priest!" exclaimed an annoyed Yun, though the pink-haired woman knew it was only his concern speaking. She was a lot like that. "Can't I leave you alone for a little while? What kind of an adult are you?" he chastised the priest, who was scratching his head, smiling at the younger boy sheepishly.

"Relax, Yun. I'm good now, see?"

The younger boy puffed his cheeks. "You tell me to relax? How can I do that when I can't trust you to take care of yourself?" he yelled. "You are so lucky Sakura found you."

"I'm sure nobody can argue with that." said a voice and the three of them looked up to see Jeaha with his hands behind his back, observing them under his leaf-green bangs. "It seems that the lady's unexpected appearance is of benefit to all of us." he continued, flashing the young medic a charming smile.

Sakura chuckled, looking up at the tall man under her thick lashes and sending Jeaha a disarmingly innocent look only enhanced by the greenness of her gaze. "I'm sure you are merely exaggerating, my kind sir." she answered with a giggle. "I'm just a lowly healer doing her duty."

The young kunoichi managed to contain her surprise when the handsome green-haired man took her hand in a gentle hold and placed a kiss on her knuckles. "Allow me to disagree. There is nothing lowly about you, my fair lady."

"Oh, give me a break, you hopeless womanizer." grunted Hak, who had just entered the cozy hut, carrying wood to feed the small hearth.

Jeaha sighed dramatically. "You, my fellow traveler, are missing the whole point of life."

Sakura inwardly rolled her eyes but nonetheless grinned at their antics. It was a familiar scene, truth be told. It reminded her a lot of the petty, but no less amusing, arguments Naruto and Kakashi usually indulged in.

"You are inexcusable, both of you." chastised them Kija, sporting a superior look that seemed both serious and amusing at the same time. "That is not how one should behave in the presence of two ladies. Excuse their brash manners." he continued turning to Sakura and sending her an apologetic look. "It appears that their brains are stuck at the age of five."

Sakura giggled, watching them in amusement. "Oh, don't worry. I have plenty of experience with overgrown babies." she said humorously, grinning kindly at both Jeaha and Hak, who, she was pretty sure, was one step from sending his blade spiraling towards her.

"Tsk. As if a pampered momma's boy like you would know anything." said the dark-haired warrior, crossing his arms across his chest in annoyance and glaring at the white-haired dragon.

"I didn't expect anything other than rudeness from a rabid beast like you." shot back Kija, flexing his claws.

"You guys, know nothing about elegance." intervened Jeaha, throwing his green ponytail over his shoulder.

"Oh, shut it, you deplorable womanizer." bit back Hak, glaring at the other two males.

Sakura rolled her eyes as she watched them argue, throwing insult after insult at each other like kunai. She shook her head. _'Oh, boy…..What did I get myself into…'_

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura hummed a soft tune under her breath as she carefully gathered herbs in the woods around Ik-Su's hut. She had no way of knowing how long her journey with the unusual company was going to last so she had to stock up. Perhaps brew a jar or two of healing-accelerating salves. Judging by the men in Yona's little group, she was probably going to need them.

It was also in her plans to leave some jars of healing ointments for Ik-Su. The man was a beam of sunshine but his self-preservation skills left a lot to be desired. She was certain he'd make good use of whatever salve she made for him. She'd probably have to make a lot of it too. The young medic chuckled at the thought of the chirpy priest.

He was a lot unlike most people she knew, truth be told. She had learnt not to judge a book by its cover and Ik-Su certainly had to be one of the most confusing books she had ever tried to read. He was kind of like Naruto in that aspect. A big goof that most people hardly ever took seriously but with a lot more than meets the eye underneath. Aside from her tendency to get even slightly attached to any person she helped, she was probably gonna miss the eccentric man. His resemblance to Naruto personality-wise was the only taste of home she'd gotten and would be getting in a long while.

The young medic shook her head, pushing those feelings of homesickness to the back of her mind. She'd wanted a long term mission. Granted she hadn't counted on crazy thunderstorms and sinking ships but the fact remained. She was still a ninja on a mission. Sighing heavily, she tried to focus on more immediate matters while her hands made quick work of gathering different kinds of leaves and roots and blossoms.

She couldn't say that she was particularly happy with this whole situation. Honestly, all she wanted was to get the herbs and get the hell off this continent. She certainly never intended to get stuck in the middle of a dead Emperor, his on-the-run daughter and her interfering guard dogs.

' _How do I always manage to get in this kind of trouble?'_ she thought, rolling her eyes. She chuckled to herself. _'But I guess, this has to be better than staying in the village and having to put up with Sasuke's brooding.'_ Her eyes rolled again at the thought of her dark-haired teammate. He really was a piece of work. She only hoped that the tall, dark and short-tempered beast that followed Yona around like a puppy wasn't like the Uchiha. She shuddered at the thought of having to put up with that kind of behavior even though she was thousands of miles away from Konoha.

' _Well, there is no annoying blonde teammate to keep me from punching Hak, right?'_ she thought to herself with a cheeky grin, her humming becoming louder as she worked with lifted spirits.

"Someone's in a good mood."

She turned around, regarding the new arrival with a pleasant grin. "Ik-Su-san. I'm glad to see you back on your feet." She stood and dusted her knees with her basket hanging from her arm, filled with all kinds of greenery. "Are you experiencing any kind of discomfort I should be aware of? Headaches, dizziness, nausea, drowsiness?"

The priest laughed and waved his hands in a reassuring manner. "I'm perfectly fine, I assure you." he said, dismissing her concerns. "Thanks to your efforts that is."

The pink-haired woman smiled at him kindly. "Don't mention it, Ik-Su-san. I was just doing my job."

"Right, right." he answered, falling into step with her as they began the slow trip back to the hut where the rest of the unusual party were resting. "I hear that you'll be accompanying the princess on her journey. I find that kind of unexpected, if I am to be completely honest."

Sakura breathed in deeply. "My Master was Emperor Il's friend. As a tribute to honor his memory, I've decided to assist them for as long as it takes for me to complete my mission and find a way home." she answered, offering the same explanations as before. "After all, I have no other choice, Ik-Su-san. My hometown needs me. And right now, with the ship that carried me here buried in its watery grave, travelling with Yona-Hime constitutes my best shot at finding a way back home."

"I see." he said, though she got the feeling that his cryptic answer enclosed a whole other meaning. He remained silent for a while and the young medic opted to do the same, waiting for the man to express whatever was running through his head. She didn't have to wait long.

The eccentric priest ceased his walking and scratched the back of his bandaged head, smiling at her in a sheepish and yet endearing way. "Well, in that case, I want you to have this." he said, pulling a long leather string from inside his white robes. Taking her hand in his, he pulled this object over his head and put it in her palm, closing her fingers around it.

Sakura stared at him in confusion before examining the object in her hand. It was a pendant roughly the side of half her palm, hanging from a black strip of good-quality leather. It had an oval base of white gold decorated with intricate engravings of symbols that she had never seen before. In the center of it sat a strikingly blue sapphire with the most extraordinary golden core she had ever encountered. Weaved around the precious gem was the serpentine and amazingly-detailed body of a dragon, also made of white gold.

Sakura's green eyes widened. "Ik-Su-san! I can't accept this!"

The man smiled at her. "Please do. It's a protection talisman. You've already expressed your intention to protect the princess and her following party. Let this pendant provide you with the protection you so bravely mean to offer to others."

"But Ik-Su-san! This must be terribly expensive. I can't take this from you." she argued, trying to place the precious object back in his hands, though to no avail.

"But Sakura-chan, you are not taking it. I'm giving it to you because the Gods told me to. You can't return a gift from the Gods."

She stared him in confusion and more than a little startled. "The Gods?"

The man nodded, humming in affirmation. "They have taken a liking to you, Sakura-chan." he said with a cryptic smile than only made the woman's mind fill with more questions. "This is their gift to you."

Shaking her head and taking a deep breath to get her thoughts in a straight line, the young medic chuckled. "I don't mean to offend you, Ik-Su-san, but I have long since ceased turning to the Gods for protection."

He patted her shoulder fondly. "Oh, trust me, Sakura-cha. They never turned their back on you." With those words, the confusing man started to walk away, following the path that ultimately led to his little abode. He glanced at her over his shoulder with a wide smile, as if nothing had happened and he hadn't just proclaimed that an unseen divine force had its eye on her. "Come now, Sakura-chan. I'm sure the others are waiting for us."

For a moment, the pink-haired woman stood rooted to the ground, staring at the man's back as he walked away and contemplating his words, though for all she was worth, she couldn't quite put her finger on what he could have meant. She shifted her gaze to the pendant held in her hand. Her fingers had tightened around it unconsciously. The intricate dragon stared back at her, wild and formidable in his fury, almost daring her to say something about this precious gift to her.

Deciding that there was nothing she could do about it, she sighed deeply, readjusted her grip on her basket and passed the black leather strip over her head, burying the pendant inside her shirt. For its size and material, it felt surprisingly light and the feeling of white-gold against her bare skin was pleasantly cool.

' _A gift from the Gods, huh?'_

 **TBC**

 **Hey guys! How are you?**

 **This chapter came a little later than expected, sorry for that. But I do hope it didn't disappoint. The next chapter will probably involve their departure from Ik-Su's home so things will finally take a more adventurous turn. Also, I have narrowed it down to two potential romantic partners for Sakura. Now, I only have to pick one of them and start building a gradual romance. It's not gonna be easy choosing one of them, that's for sure. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. Thank you for your wonderful reviews, they always make my day.**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Here, all done." said Sakura as she finished scribing the last wooden tag and tied it around the neck of the medium-sized jar containing a thick green salve. She turned to Ik-Su and smiled at the man. "These can last you quite a while if you are careful and use them wisely." she continued, motioning to the jars stacked carefully in a shadowed corner of the hut. "The tags will tell you which one to take depending on what you want to treat. Please make sure to take only the recommended dosages, Ik-Su-san."

The blonde priest waved his hand in a reassuring manner. "Right, right. Thank you so much, Sakura-chan. I'll make sure to heed your advice, don't worry about me."

"Tsk. As if that's possible!" intervened Yun, making Sakura giggle at the expression on his face. His concern was masked under a well-established façade of annoyance, but it was pretty damn clear to her that the young boy was worried.

"Calm down, Yun. I'm sure Ik-Su can take care of himself." said Yona reassuringly, placing a comforting hand on the blue-eyed youth's shoulder to soothe him. "And Sakura's potions will definitely help."

The rosette smiled at Yun, all the while resisting the urge to correct the princess by saying that they were ointments and healings salves, not potions, but she guessed medicine wasn't as advanced on this side of the world so she just let it slide. Although she had to admit, she was kinda curious about how they'd react if she used her chakra and healing jutsu in front of them. She was tempted to conjure up an excuse just for the sake of seeing the expressions on their faces. Back home, chakra and jutsus were the norm. That was their nature. But here, it'd probably be something extraordinary and remarkable. Here it'd probably be magic.

' _Magic, huh?'_ Sakura smiled at the thought, making Zeno glance at her strangely, but she just waved it off with a shake of her head. The young medic glanced out the window and then cleared her throat to gain the attention of the rest of the occupants of the room.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, but you might want to wrap it up. Unless we want to miss the light, we need to depart now. Traveling during night is not advised." she said, ninja instincts starting to kick in. While she was used to operating at full capacity after nightfall, she was almost certain that the lot of them weren't. Nighttime travel was demanding. As determined and strong-willed as Yona was, Sakura doubted that both the princess and Yun would be able to pull that off without putting themselves at risk. Not to mention, she had no experience in these woods and knew nothing about what kind of dangers could be lurking in the shadows of those trees. She'd rather not take that risk.

"I'm afraid Pinky is right." said Hak, making Sakura roll her eyes at the nickname he had taken up to calling her. "We have to set out as soon as possible. We can't stay here any longer. We don't know if somebody is on our tail."

Sakura snapped her head in his direction, regarding him with a hard look. "You are being hunted?"

A variety of emotions flashed across Hak's face, the most prominent being annoyance and obvious mistrust, but Sakura could clearly see that he was torn between telling her to shove off and actually giving her a truthful answer. The dark-haired warrior glanced at Yona, then at Ik-Su and then focused his gaze on the young medic once more. He regarded her for a few moments with an unreadable expression on his face before he averted his eyes, crossing his arms across his chest. "You could say that."

Sakura didn't even try to hide the rolling of her eyes. She crossed her own arms across her bosom, tapping her foot in mild annoyance. "Didn't occur to you that perhaps you should have informed me of that particular detail a little bit earlier? I like to know it when I have people hot on my tail…."

"Hey, it was your choice to come with us. We haven't departed yet. You want out, nobody's stopping you."

The rosette's eyes narrowed. "Don't go all defensive on me, you thick-headed fool. I only meant-"

"Are you scared, little girl?" said the man, a sarcastic smirk growing on his lips. "I'm not surprised. Look at you. You are no warrior."

It happened in just a second. A beam of sunlight reflecting on polished steel and the dull thud of something sharp lodging itself in wood. Sakura had barely moved but for the slight twitch of her fingers. Her green eyes clashed with Hak's, who hadn't moved a muscle.

The atmosphere in the room felt electrified and suffocating and for a few moments nothing but their breathing was heard. Slowly, Hak turned to look over his shoulder, taking in the sight of the peculiar knife stuck in the wall, sharp and grey and shinning. "You missed."

"Wanna guess again?"

With just barely a second of hesitation, he raised his hand to touch his cheek and couldn't help the surprise from showing on his face when his saw his fingers coated in warm blood. But it couldn't be…He had seen her move barely an inch. He hadn't even felt a thing. But the blood slowly sliding down his face told no lies. How could it be that she had executed such…such a perfect shot? His dark eyes flew to her face, trying to decipher whatever-something, anything-it was that she was hiding.

"Many have made the mistake of underestimating me. None have lived to tell the tale. Make sure not to be one of them." she said in a leveled voice, her eerie calmness making her looming threat sound even more intense. She brushed past him, unlogged the kunai from the wall and walked out the room, leaving the others staring at each other, drowning in the uncomfortable silence that followed the incident.

Yona glanced at the door and then back at Hak, glaring at him. "Was that really necessary?" she said before storming out the door, following the pink-haired woman.

Jeaha sighed and flicked his green ponytail over his shoulder. "I do believe, my fellow traveler, that I need to educate you on how to speak to women."

"Oh, shut up."

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, breathing in the calming smell of maple trees and letting the sound of running water flow through her body. _'Way to go back there, Haruno. You totally flipped out.'_ she berated herself, disappointed in her lack of restraint. _'I'm such an idiot….I should have kept it together. Tsunade taught me better than this.'_ The young medic sighed. _'There is no point worrying about that right now. I just hope I didn't completely blow my best chance at getting back home.'_

She took off her sandals and dipped her feet up to the knees in the stream, enjoying the feeling of cool water against her bare skin. She stared at her reflection. For a moment, the face of her twelve-year-old self flashed before her eyes, making her avert her gaze. _'I don't want to go back to that…I fought too hard to allow myself to go back to that…'_

She hated it when her thoughts took that kind of turn and most of all she hated comparing her current self to the person she used to be back then. Because it was in those moments that she doubted everything she had accomplished throughout the years. Because she felt small and weak and lost again. She had grown up proving to others that she was not only as good at them, but even better. That she had made it to where she was on her own, with no kekkei-gekai or Biju. That she deserved just as much respect as her teammates and teachers.

And she hated the fact that one simple recollection of her Genin days could make her such a mess. _'Have faith in who you are, Sakura. And in all that you can be. That's what Tsunade used to say….'_ She raised her head and focused her eyes on the sky, watching the clouds drift by slowly, calmly. _'I let him get to me. I've knowing him for an hour and I let him get to me…'_

And the worst thing was that she couldn't really blame Hak for his behavior. Granted, he could have handled the situation better, but she was but a complete stranger, who had appeared out of nowhere requesting to accompany them. Had she been in his shoes, she wouldn't have let him within ten feet of her team, much less allowed him to travel with them. Sakura sighed. _'I really need to talk to him…..To all of them…'_ she thought before her internal turmoil was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. She didn't have to turn around to see whose they were. They were light and quick, but not in the least stealthy.

"Sakura? Are you alright? May I join you?"

"You may do as you please, Yona-Hime."

The younger girl took a seat beside her, bending her legs under her. "I'm sorry about Hak's behavior. He might sound mean, but he means well."

The pink-haired medic smiled at the princess. "You don't have to be sorry about anything, Yona-Hime. I should be the one apologizing. Hak might have provoked me, but my actions were uncalled for. And for that I ask you to forgive me." she said, bowing her head.

"Don't say that!" argued the red-haired girl. "Hak can be pretty annoying sometimes. Had it been me in your place, I would have aimed that knife at this throat instead of his cheek." Sakura laughed genuinely at that, making her companion's smile widen considerably. "You are still coming with us, right?"

For a moment, Sakura focused her green gaze on the horizon before she turned to the young princess with a smile. "I will accompany you. If you'll have me, that is."

"Of course! Now, let's go back-"

"Yona-Hime, one last thing."

The young princess stared at the other woman in confusion. "Is something wrong?"

"You are being hunted. I don't expect you to trust me right away. It is possible that you never will. But if I am to offer you my protection, I need to know. Who are the people after you and what do they want?"

The princess grew silent and a shadow fell over her features. "The truth is….I'm not so sure anymore." she started, her mind flying to her bewildering encounter with Soo-Won back in Awa. "All I know is that I have a cause and I intend to pursue it till the end."

Sakura searched the girl's face and could only see hard determination. Yona was young and probably knew little to nothing about what was out there, but the will to fight was there and that was admirable. She was no shinobi, but she had some of the qualities that made up a good one. The pink-haired woman smiled widely and stood, extending her hand to the seated princess.

"Then so be it." she said, helping the girl to her feet. "Let's go, Yona-Hime!"

"Hai!"

 **TBC**

 **Hey guys! How are you?**

 **So, here is chapter 4 of the story and I really hope you liked it. Some friction between Sakura and Hak, but that was a good chance for Sakura to show them a glimpse of her skills. Also, we got some Yona-Sakura bonding time, which I loved to tell you the truth. (^.^)**

 **Anyway, something happened and I'd like to address it here in order to clear things up. Sometimes I get Personal Messages from people complaining about me choosing Sakura as the main heroine in all of my stories. A couple of days ago I got one such message and I gotta tell you that the person that sent it was really…..expressive about his (I assume we are talking about a he, based on the username) displeasure, going as far as to insult me as a person and an author.**

 **The thing is, Sakura is my favorite character. I've read countless manga volumes and I've watched countless anime episodes, but no matter how many characters I've gotten to know through all those anime shows, Sakura remains my favorite character. Yes, there are other female characters in Naruto, but none of them had any impact on me to make me care about them enough to write stories based on them. Yes, Ino is a bit overwhelming but fun. Yes, Temari and TenTen seem cool, though we don't get to see them all that often. And yes, Hinata is cute and prim and proper and we all felt sorry for her when Naruto didn't even glance in her direction. But that doesn't make me care about those characters on more than just a basic level.**

 **Yes, Sakura is my favorite character because, in my opinion, you can relate to her. You can relate to a character who has made mistakes, who has failed, but strives to correct those mistakes. And we actually see her grow, throughout Shippuden we see her substantial development, we see her become stronger and mature and a kick-ass shinobi. And no, I didn't like the ending of Naruto and will always believe that Haruno Sakura was an underused character that deserved much better. Anyone interested in a civilized conversation on the matter can send me a message.**

 **The thing is, I don't see why anybody would read a story revolving around a character they don't like. That just doesn't make sense to me. We are supposed to enjoy fan fiction. I don't see the point in reading something you know you are going to hate and then sending the author a message to insult them. To the person that sent me the message, if you are reading this, I hope I made myself clear. You don't like the story, don't read it. Spend your time on something you like and enjoy. That is time much better spent.**

 **Forgive my rambling but I just needed to get this off my chest and perhaps prevent similar incidents from taking place in the future. Despite everything, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thank you for your continued support.**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	5. Chapter 5

"Stay away from me, you rabid beast, lest I catch your fleas!"

"Cork it, you albino lizard!"

"I'm a dragon, you uneducated caveman! I'm a creature of lore and mighty power!"

Sakura rolled her eyes, popping another blueberry into her mouth as she continued to observe the two men indulge in yet another fight that consisted of poorly made up insults and empty threats. It was a decent pastime, to be honest. Their journey was mostly quiet and nobody had threatened them up until then. Yona had many a time expressed her gratefulness for that, making the pink-haired medic wonder about the younger girl's uneasiness. She suspected it had something to do with Yona's meeting with her cousin. While the princess had yet to tell her the whole story, it was pretty obvious that the girl was shaken to the bone no matter how well she hid it. The dragons and Hak were men. They'd never understand. But her….Oh, Sakura knew that feeling very well and recognizing it on another person came as easily as walking on water.

"Dear Gods, do they always have to do that?" said Yun, interrupting her thoughts.

Sakura smiled at the younger boy. "Don't let those noisy fools bother you, kid. Trying to prove their dominance is a favorite hobby of men." She genuinely liked Yun. He was a smart boy and a creature of order, just like herself. During the past few days, the red-haired youth took advantage of every chance he got to ask her questions about herbs and healing remedies. Surprisingly, she'd found a very willing learner in him. It felt nice passing down some of her knowledge. She'd make sure to teach him a few things before they parted ways.

"The fair lady is right, Yun." Jeaha easily fell in step with her. "Our dear friends lack anything remotely close to elegance."

Sakura almost snorted at that, though she managed to keep herself from doing it. Jeaha made her feel a bit…confused. He was a strange man, older than her and from the little things she'd heard, seasoned enough in battle. His behavior though was bizarre, to say the least. Compared to what she was used to, that is. As shallow and vain as he appeared at first glance, she couldn't help but get the notion that he was a far more complicated character. Nevertheless, his company was mostly pleasant and she welcomed the distraction from Hak and Kija's pointless banter.

"They are giving me such a headache." complained the boy, furrowing his brow.

Sakura glanced at him in the corner of her eyes and surprised him by getting behind him and staring to massage his temples. Subtly, she sent a miniscule amount of chakra to her fingers, taking care not to allow the green glow to show.

Yun's eyes shot open in surprise as the headache slowly ebbed away. "How did you do that? With no ointments or medicine…" he wondered aloud, snatching Sakura's fingers and examining them, making the young woman laugh in amusement at him.

"I'm a healer, Yun. It's my job." she answered with a wide grin and flicked his forehead, resuming walking between the younger boy and Jeaha. She stole a glance at the handsome green-haired man, noticing him watching her. She turned to him fully and flashed him a bright smile, hoping that it'd be enough to appease his suspicion.

He returned her smile almost immediately and flicked his green ponytail over his shoulder. "You, my fair lady, are full of surprises. Meeting you was indeed very fortunate."

Sakura chuckled, brushing his compliment off. "Don't mention it. It was equally as fortunate for me. Traveling with you will help me find a way home."

"Home you say." he pondered. "I'm curious. What's your home like?"

Sakura took a deep breath. She was kind of surprised it had taken them so long to start asking questions. "Konoha is…..really green. The village was built by our ancestors deep in a great forest. There are trees as far as the eyes can see. The people are pretty nice most of the time. They have their quirks, but I guess that's what makes them unique. Then there is the Hokage Mountain. The faces of all our previous Hokage are engraved there, overlooking our village, keeping it safe."

"Hokage?" wondered Yun, testing the word on his tongue.

Sakura nodded. "Our leader. A person that's wise, strong-willed and with a great love for our people. It's the Hokage's duty to ensure the village's safety and prosperity." she answered, her mind immediately flying to Tsunade. How she missed the blonde woman….

"Sounds like a remarkable individual." pondered Jeaha. "If I may ask, who taught you to heal?"

Sakura hummed. "My mentor and current Hokage of Konoha. She took me in when I was but a young girl and trained me in the art of healing. Taught me everything she knows."

Jeaha rubbed his chin elegantly. Really, it seemed like this guy had grace in his DNA. "How fascinating." he commented. "It appears that you possess more skills than we had anticipated."

"You give me too much credit." Sakura shrugged his compliment off, not wishing to draw too much attention to herself. She was pretty sure that her shinobi nature would come into play eventually, but their camaraderie was still in its earliest stages. She didn't trust them fully and they didn't trust her either.

"Oh, my fair lady, something tells me that I give you too little." Jeaha sent her a charming, but cryptic smile that made her feel a bit uneasy. She'd have to watch herself around him. She had been right in her first impression of him. The green-haired male appeared carefree, almost to a childlike degree, but the truth was entirely different. She was positive that he wasn't aware of her shinobi identity-she doubted the people on this of the world even knew they existed across the sea-but he was cunning and his cheerful exterior could lure anyone in a false sense of security. She'd have to watch him.

Sakura turned her eyes to the three people walking a few feet ahead. Hak and Kija were engaged in another argument and poor Yona was trying in vain to get between them. The young medic sighed heavily and rubbed her temples in annoyance. "Oi! Will you two shut up for just five minutes?" she all but barked at them, earning their attention.

"Quit getting your panties in a twist, Pinky."

The pink-haired woman glared at Hak. "I suggest you cork it, beastie, unless you want me to twist your neck." she shot back, crossing her arms across her chest.

The dark-haired man scoffed at her. "As if a little girl like you could ever lay a finger on me."

"Why you-!"

"Let us not engage in other argument." interrupted them Jeaha, getting between the two before Sakura decided to make good use of her knives. He doubted that she'd aim just for Hak's cheek this time. "Perhaps we should start looking for an appropriate campsite."

The young medic glared at Yona's dark-haired guardian and huffed. "Jeaha's right. Night will soon be upon us. We better stay off the main roads."

"There is a hill a couple of miles to the west from here." said Kija, pointing at something in the distance. "We could set up camp there. It's not that close to the main road and could serve as an observation post."

Sakura nodded. "That will do. I'll set up a perimeter. It should keep us safe from prying eyes." She adjusted her pouch, stealing a glance at her weapons to make sure they were ready for use, should the time call for it. "Let's move out. The sun is setting."

XxxOxOxOxxX

No one questioned her when she disappeared for a few minutes, moving like a shadow through the trees around the small clearing on the hill. She was perfectly aware that Hak was paying close attention to her, but she made sure that he could only catch glimpses of her and what she was doing. It was enough not to raise suspicion and at the same time, didn't allow them to see her as she worked.

Her fingers flew through the hand seals as she wove an intricate genjutsu that was bound to give a lot of trouble to any aspiring assaulters. She doubted anyone would actually be able to pass it. Not without acquiring emotional trauma, considering her illusion was supposed to prey on an individual's worst fears. She knew first-hand how awful it was, having fallen prey to the genjutsu once while training with Kakashi-sensei. She almost shuddered at the thought.

She returned to the campsite to see Yun preparing to serve dinner, stirring a few aromatic leaves with the hare she had caught earlier over a small fire. Kija, Hak , Zeno and Jeaha were gathered around the younger boy, warming themselves near the fire in anticipation of their meal. She resisted the urge to tell them that a fire was a bad idea since somebody could see it. It didn't matter. Her genjutsu and traps would conceal and protect them. Her eyes shifted to the sleeping form of Yona and Sakura smiled softly. Poor girl. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally. She walked over to her silently and pulled her cloak over the form of the sleeping girl.

A breeze ruffled her hair and a splash of blue and white caught her eye as she pushed stray locks of rosy hair behind her ear. For a moment she stared at the back of the man sitting on the edge of the hill, the wind ruffling his short blue hair and the impressive white mane of his mask. The image was familiar, bringing back memories.

She smiled softly to herself and grabbed another bowl of the broth Yun had prepared. She made sure that her presence was detectable before she reached him, not wishing to startle the young man.

She sat down beside him and passed him the plate. "Here." she said, handing him the food. "You should eat. Yun sure knows how to cook."

"Thank you." he almost whispered and his tone struck her as strange. His mask was intimidating, giving him an almost feral look and yet his voice was as soft as the caress of a feather taken from a goose's wing. He took the plate from her, but made no move to eat.

Silence fell among them, though it wasn't all that uncomfortable on Sakura's part. This kind of silence wasn't unknown to her. She felt something climbing up her arm and she glanced to her right to see the little rodent that Shin-Ah carried with him trying to reach her shoulder. She scooped him in her hands and placed him in the crook of her neck. She couldn't help the light giggle that left her lips as his small whiskers tickled her skin.

"He likes you."

The young medic looked up at him. His mask made it difficult for her to say what he was thinking. She smiled at the blue-haired man. "Ah, I like him too." She petted the small animal with her fingertips, letting him make himself comfortable on her shoulder. "You remind me of a friend of mine back home." she said suddenly, glancing up at Shin-Ah. "The more I think about the more alike you two seem."

A cool breeze swept her locks and ruffled the white mane of his mask.

"Yona told me the story about your journey. Told me a couple of things about each one of you too. I hope you don't mind. She made sure not to give away too many details." Sakura smiled at the memory of the flushed girl, trying to give away as little as possible and failing miserably.

"Ah….."

The young medic giggled. "You are a lot like Gaara in the aspect too. Always so silent…." She allowed Ao to play with a lock of her hair. "Gaara is a lot like you, you know. He had a really rough start in life. His mother dead, his father nowhere to be seen, his siblings indifferent and his village hating him like death itself for something he had no control over." Her green eyes had a far off look as she remembered the red-haired Kazekage's story. "He grew up knowing only scorn and betrayal. Such an unfair thing to happen to a little boy…" She stole a glance at him. "But then Naruto came along and everything changed for Gaara. He changed. After a life of loneliness, he finally had people around him that loved him not despite who he was, but because of who he was."

In the corner of her eye she saw his head lean slightly towards her and she knew he was listening to her intently. "I used to fear him, you know. Gaara had such power that he couldn't control it. He used to be so cold that it scared me." she continued, looking at something in the distance. "But not anymore. Those days have long since passed and now Gaara is one of my dearest friends. His village respects him and he has people around him that love him and admire him. He's one of the strongest people I know." She turned to face him. "I think you are really strong too, Shin-Ah. And you deserve everything this world has to offer."

The pink-haired woman hummed in affirmation. "I really do believe that." She scooped Ao in her hands and placed him beside the man gently. She picked up her plate and stood, making to leave, but she stopped. For a few seconds she contemplated her next move before she sighed and her lips twitched upwards.

She placed her fingers gently on his shoulder, smiling knowingly at the way he initially tensed, but then relaxed under her touch. "Have faith, Shin-Ah, in who you can be. You will find that happiness is closer than you think." With that, she left the young man to his thoughts, hoping that her words had reached him.

Shin-Ah allowed his ears to concentrate on her footsteps as she walked away, the heels of her boots creating an unrefined but rhythmic melody. He glanced to the side and picked up the pate she'd brought him. He ate his meal in silence, his shoulder tingling where she had touched him.

His lips twitched. She was right, Yun really did know how to cook…

 **TBC**

 **I got two words for you: semester exams. And they are such a pain in the butt!**

 **Anyway! How are you people? It's been a while! I hope you liked this chapter, I had a lot of fun writing it. Especially that last scene with Shin-Ah. Really, that guy is just the cutest without even trying. A little moment there between him and Sakura, but that doesn't mean that it's going to end up as a pairing. We'll see how it goes!**

 **The amount of feedback this story has gotten so far is really moving to me, especially considering how small of a fandom this is. Thank you, all of you, for your continued support!**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please tell me what you think!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	6. Chapter 6

Being a light sleeper by nature, Sakura was quick to wake the moment the first rays of the sun caressed her face. She stretched like a feline, arching her back and moaning in satisfaction when she heard the familiar sound of her sore bones popping back into place.

She stood, looking around to see the rest of their strange group still in deep sleep and she chuckled, shaking her head. She should have known. Running a hand through her hair, she moved across their camp stealthily, her boots making no sound despite their heels. She checked her traps and genjutsu, smiling in relief when she realized that nobody had tried to approach them during the night. Glancing at her temporary teammates and for a lack of anything else to do other than spend the early hours of the day polishing her kunai, Sakura decided to at least get them some breakfast.

Smelling the air and enhancing her hearing using a bit of her chakra, she smiled when the sound of running water reached her. She checked her pouch and proceeded to follow the sound. A couple of minutes of wandering around trees and bushes later, she found herself standing right beside the banks of a small river. It wasn't too wide and she guessed not very deep either. The land around it was fertile, the vibrant green of the plants shinning under the day's first light.

She kneeled and drank heartily before splashing her face, enjoying the feeling of the water cooling her skin. Smiling brightly, she stepped on the surface of the water, chakra pooling at her feet without a second thought, having become second nature after so many years. She took out her kunai and smirked.

Time to catch some breakfast.

XxxOxOxOxxX

Placing the pile of fish beside the smoking coals of last night's fire, Sakura glanced around the silent camp and snorted. _'Lazy asses….'_ She ran a hand through her locks and grimaced at the knots and dust that coated her hair. Glancing at the people still in deep slumber and then back at the path she had just returned from, she couldn't help but be tempted by the idea that entered her mind.

' _I won't be long….'_ she reasoned. _'Just a quick dip and I'll be back before they notice.'_ The more she thought about it the more she felt her inhibitions crumble as the idea of cleaning up won more and more ground as the seconds passed. Another look at her dull pink locks and the decision became even more obvious. Glancing at the camp one last time, she turned around and swiftly made her way through the trees back to the river.

She took off her boots and dipped her toes in the water, giggling like an academy student. Taking a look around more out of habit than anything else, she rid herself of her clothes and slowly lowered herself in the water, allowing her body to get used to the temperature. The waters were shallow, but clear and she relished in the feeling of the cool liquid caressing her skin. She sat on her bent knees and dipped her head in the river, feeling her locks floating around her in the water. She threw her head back, her wet locks slapping her back as they rained drops around her.

Sakura smiled contently and breathed in the smell of flowers and wet grass. _'This is heaven…..'_

XxxOxOxOxxX

Yun woke with a start, yawning and stretching his arms above his head. On his left, Yona was still fast asleep, snuggled under what he recognized as Sakura's cloak. He looked around to see the rest of the party still sleeping and the pink-haired woman nowhere to be found.

' _Where did she go?'_ he thought with a small frown, sweeping the campsite with his eyes. He was a moment away from going to look for her when his gaze landed on a pile of fish and his eyes immediately lit up. He stood and headed over, noticing that the fish were still wet, meaning that they had been caught quite recently, no longer than half an hour ago.

' _So that's where she went…..'_ Assuming that the young healer was still somewhere out there looking for food or water, he sighed shaking his head. Rolling up his sleeves, Yun smiled as he took out his dagger, making quick work of removing the scales and cleaning out the internal organs. The coals from last night's fire were still smoking, just barely good enough to start another fire. He'd have to thank Sakura for her effort.

The smell of roasting fish over the fire spread all over their camp, slowly rising the rest of their unusual party. Hak was the first of them to awake followed by Jeaha and Kija. Shin-Ah was already awake when Zeno shot up from his position on the ground and by the time the fish were ready Yona too was awake.

"That smells delicious, Yun." commented Yona with a smile. "Where did you get those?"

"You are gonna have to thank Sakura for that." he replied, picking at the coals with a stick. "She caught them."

Zeno clapped his hands once happily with a cheerful grin on his face. "My, Sakura-san is so cool!"

Hak scoffed at the blonde's praising words. "Speaking of which, where is that hellish she-wolf anyway?"

"Hak! You don't have to be so rude!" scolded him Yona, earning a scowl from the dark-haired man.

"Who cares? She's not here to hear it, is she?"

Yona just shook her head at her guardian. Really, she couldn't wait for the moment that Sakura would decide to make good use of her knives.

"She's been gone for a while, hasn't she?" wondered Jeaha. "Perhaps one of us should go look for her. The food is almost ready and we'll be departing shortly after."

Kija nodded. "A lady shouldn't be wandering all alone in unfamiliar territory either."

Hak's snort at the word 'lady' made Yona glare at him. She was ready to scold her broody companion once more when an idea entered her mind. "Hak, you go find her."

"What?!" sputtered the man. "Why me? Send the white lizard or the pervert to find her."

"Why you-"

"Because I said so." answered Yona indignantly, interrupting Kija, who was no doubt going to start another argument with the dark-haired warrior. "Now, go find Sakura."

Muttering curses under his breath, Hak stood and grabbed his weapon, pulling it forcefully from the ground. He glared at a chuckling Jeaha, growling in annoyance. His shoulders were rigid as he put more distance between himself and the camp, his figure disappearing behind the trees.

Yun turned to Yona. "Was that really a good idea? Should a fight break out between them, Hak will probably kill her."

The red-haired girl giggled. "I say she'll kill him first."

XxxOxOxOxxX

' _Where the hell is that woman?'_ thought Hak, as he made his way through the woods. "Oi, Pinky! Where are you?" He glanced around, hoping to catch a glimpse of that preposterous pink hair though he was unsuccessful. _'Damn her….'_

"Come out, you wench!" He cursed at the lack of response. _'I swear, if she got lost I'm leaving her out here…'_ Noticing the woods thinning on his left, he decided to head there. Perhaps it'd prove easier to spot her in a less dense part of the woods. The sound of running water reached his ears and he picked up his pace. Seeing as she had caught their breakfast, perhaps she was still somewhere near the river. The light around him grew brighter as the green foliage of the woods lessened. He broke through the trees, shielding his eyes as the light of the morning sun assaulted his corneas. He glanced around, noticing the silhouette of a person down at the river though the sun was making it difficult to see anything more than their outline. The unmistakable pink hair gave the stranger's identity away.

Hak sighed in annoyance. _'About damn time…'_ he thought as he approached.

"Oi, Pinky-" he opened his mouth to say something undoubtedly witty when his vision cleared and he noticed her state.

Sakura was sitting on her bent knees, the swallow waters just barely covering her shapely hips though the clarity of the river didn't help much in that aspect. She was facing the other way, leaving her naked back exposed to his eyes. Her hair was wet, falling a bit bellow mid-back as she ran her fingers through her locks.

Hak's eyes widened and he clapped a hand over his mouth to muffle his surprised gasp as an unwilling blush colored his face. Deciding that it'd be better if he just turned around and left, the dark-haired warrior took a step back, not noticing the dry tree branch just under his foot. It snapped under his weight, the sound of it breaking seeming to resound more than it should have. His hopes that she hadn't heard it were quickly squashed when the young woman's head snapped to him.

Her initial relief at seeing that it was Hak instead of an enemy was immediately evaporated when the young medic realized her current state of undress and her completely exposed self to the man standing a few feet away. Her cheeks grew hot, rivaling her locks in color as she moved her arms to cover herself. She snarled at the dark-haired warrior, her fury evident in her clenched teeth and the hellfire burning in her emerald eyes.

"Get the hell out of here your pervert!" she screeched, her chest heaving from the intensity of the situation.

The man was quick to follow her order, turning around swiftly with rigid shoulders and walking away as quickly as he could. Sakura would have laughed at his resemblance to an animal fleeing from a predator had it not been for her current predicament.

"Hak, you are so dead!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

A flushed and more than a little angry Sakura walked between Jeaha and Shin-Ah in silence with a scowl on her face.

"You lecher!" exclaimed Kija. "You profligate monster! How dare you walk in on a lady while she was taking her bath!" The white-haired man seemed scandalized.

"Oh, shut up." growled back Hak. "It's not like I wanted that to happen. It's your fault for making me look for her in the first place."

"You are horrible. Yona-hime!" said the dragon, turning to the young princess, who was sporting a blush across her cheeks. "Let's ditch this uncivilized beast!"

"Oi! You albino lizard-"

"Shut up both of you!" It was Sakura who interrupted them, growling at the arguing men, her fingers itching to reach inside her pouch for a kunai. "Another word of what happened today and I'm tearing your tongues out with me bare hands."

"As if, Pinky."

"But milady!"

"I said not another word!"

Watching the three argue, Yun leaned towards a giggling Yona. "I take it back. She can definitely kill both of them."

 **TBC**

 **Ok, this chapter was so much fun to write! I know it's not as long as the others but this was purely written to add some humor to the story before things take a more dramatic turn. At first I wasn't sure which one of the guys would be the one to walk in on Sakura but then I thought about Hak and the result seemed hilarious.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing. Thank you, all of you, for your continued support. It means a lot to me! Still not sure about the pairing but I suppose I'll come to a decision a couple of chapters from now.**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	7. Chapter 7

Sakura narrowed her eyes as she meticulously examined the dirt road. Horse hooves. And many of them. She looked to the side. The grass was flat and dead from where the horses had stomped on it.

"Sakura?" said Yona timidly, alarmed by the older woman's expression. "What's the matter?"

The pink-haired medic stood. "Riders. At least twenty of them. This road isn't wide enough to fit more than two horses in a row. Judging by the downtrodden plants, they are probably moving in threes. I can't pinpoint exactly how old these tracks are, but they aren't older than two weeks. Two and a half tops."

"Do you thing they are from the Imperial Cavalry?" asked Jeaha with a frown.

Sakura shrugged. "It's a possibility. I doubt this is a caravan. Caravans don't travel this way. The road would have had evident wheel tracks from their carts. These riders were traveling in formation."

"But if they really are part of the Imperial Army, why would they head all the way out here?" wondered Kija, voicing the question that was running through all of their heads. "These are mainly farmlands."

Sakura turned to Hak. "Do you know of any military outposts around this area?"

The dark-haired male shook his head. "The white snake is right. These are farmlands and pasturages. There is no need for such military presence around here."

"I was afraid you'd say that." The pink-haired woman sighed. "These riders were traveling away from the main roads, trying to keep their presence discreet and looking for something. Or someone." She stole a glance at the red-haired princess. "I doubt they are aware of our whereabouts, but we need to be extra careful. We don't know if they have called for backup or when they will decide to go back to where they came from. We keep away from roads and travel under the cover of night. No fires unless absolutely necessary. There is going be at least one us keeping watch at all times." she instructed, her face set in an expression of determination that left no room for argument. The rest of the party nodded silently, accepting the indisputable truth in the pink-haired healer's words.

Even Hak thought it wise not to contradict her. The woman obviously knew what she was talking about. Surprisingly and strangely, her thoughts process was eerily similar to his own. He'd have to look a bit more into that when he got the chance.

"We better get moving." said the woman. "We've been standing here for a while. This isn't the main road, but somebody could still see us and report it. I'll ran up ahead to see if I can find any more clues about these riders."

"But you can't go alone." replied Yun with a small frown on his face.

"Yun is right, Sakura." agreed Jeaha. "This could be a trap, for all we know. Going alone is too risky. I'm coming with you." stated the man and for the first time since meeting him, his usual pleasant smile was absent from his lips.

Sakura sighed. "Alright, alright. The rest of you look for an appropriate campsite. We'll be back in forty-five minutes, an hour tops. If we don't, something happened. Don't look for us and find a safe place to hide."

"What do you mean don't look for you? Sakura, we can't-"

"Yona-hime." The young medic cut the princess off. "Your safety is of utmost importance. Should something happen to us, it is crucial that they don't get wind of your presence or location." said the woman, looking at the red-haired princess in a way that was reminiscent of how Iruka-sensei used to look at them when they were still Academy students.

The princess had a solemn look on her face, but she nodded nonetheless, accepting the other woman's instructions.

Sakura smiled at her to lighten the thickness in the air. "Now, we better get going before we miss the light. It will be difficult finding anything in the dark." She glanced at the rest of them, smiling reassuringly. "That small hill over there looks like a nice place to set up camp. Why don't you check it out?" she suggested, walking away to follow the horse tracks with Jeaha at her side.

"Be careful!"

"Don't worry Yona-hime! I'll make sure not to let anything bad happen to Jeaha!" yelled back the pink-haired medic, winking at the princess.

"Oh come on! It's the man's duty to protect the lady!" complained the green-haired dragon, earning an amused giggle from his companion.

"Oh lucky me! My very own knight in shining armor!"

Yona and Yun sighed, their spirits lifting slightly. The light-hearted joking between the two as they walked away was comforting, to say the least.

However, Hak had no intention of sharing that sentiment. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on the rosette's retreating back. He'd bet that she knew he was watching her, that hellcat.

"For a healer, she certainly knows a lot about battle and being pursued." said Kija, coming to stand beside the dark-haired warrior, for once not in the mood to pick a fight with him.

Hak nodded curtly. "Too much. There's something she's not telling us. What kind of healer has such knowledge of battle and evasion strategies?"

Kija hummed in agreement. "It's peculiar."

"Even back at the priest's hut. How did she manage to sneak up on us like that without any of us taking notice of her? We didn't see or hear anything and yet there she was. She's way more skilled than what she lets on."

"You don't trust her."

The dark-haired man scoffed as if the other man's statement was ridiculous. "She's not the kind of woman that you trust, White Snake."

Kija frowned, choosing to let the mention of that ludicrous nickname slide. "And yet she's been nothing but helpful since she joined us."

Hak narrowed his eyes ever more. "I'll be the judge of that. Keep an eye on her. I'll be watching her too." instructed the dark-haired male, eyes still fixed in the distance. She was definitely hiding something. No woman should know so much about battle. Wars were meant to be fought by soldiers, not healers. She was cunning, clever, a fast thinker. He hated to admit it, but her instructions were spot-on. Exactly what he would have said. That alone was suspicious enough. She spoke with self-assurance, confident in her words. She knew that she was right and she made no effort to hide it.

It irked him to no end that he couldn't figure her out.

' _I'll find out whatever it is that you are hiding, Haruno. Even if it's the last thing I'll do….'_

XxxOxOxOxxX

"This is worrying." murmured Sakura, standing in the middle of what appeared to be an abandoned campsite. There were footprints and horse tracks all over the place along with horse hair and rotting fruit.

Jeaha crouched beside the old hearth. The coals were cold and grey, but still there. "For trained soldiers, they did a pretty messy job of covering up their trail."

The pink-haired woman surveyed the area with narrowed eyes. "That's what worries me. Either they are completely incompetent, which I think is unlikely, or they are so confident in their superiority and numbers that they thought it unnecessary to put effort into it."

An object caught her eye and she walked towards a large boulder sitting on her right. She bent down to pick it up. "They are armed." she announced, examining the recently used whetstone.

Jeaha nodded. "Arrow marks." he said, his fingers touching small slashes on the bark of a tree.

The young medic frowned. "Both close and long range fighters. That could be a problem."

Her green-haired companion hummed in agreement. "We need to warn the others right away. Even the farm roads aren't safe anymore. There could be armed soldiers patrolling the area." he said, making to follow the path back to the rest of their party. He only managed to take a couple of steps before the woman's hand on his chest stopped him.

Sakura could feel his muscles tense under her fingers, but he relaxed soon after and looked down at her curiously. "Don't tell Yona and Yun." she said, looking up at him under her thick lashes. "Notify Hak and the other dragons, but leave those two out of it. I'll tell them to be extra careful, but I don't want to burden them with this knowledge, this fear. They are children. They don't deserve this." Yona was burdened enough as it was and Yun didn't belong in a world of constant pursuit and nonstop struggle to survive. They were too young. Too young and not accustomed to this way of living. The pink-haired woman had every intention of shielding them from it for as long as she could.

"You call them children and yet, you aren't that much older yourself." commented Jeaha, catching her slightly off guard.

The pink-haired medic remained calm and sighed. Well, they were bound to start asking questions soon. At least, out of all the dragons, Jeaha seemed like the more agreeable one in terms of civil conversation. "Me….I am…a different story."

The green dragon chuckled. "I do believe that nobody can argue with that." His violet gaze locked on hers. "You don't trust us."

Sakura shifted on her feet. "And you don't trust me either." she answered back, though it wasn't said as an accusation. It was perfectly reasonable. The young kunoichi would have thought them fools otherwise. "Give me a bit more time, Jeaha, and I'll tell you everything you wish to know." she added earnestly, holding his eyes. "But for now, please, keep this between us."

For a moment, Jeaha stared at her, searching her emerald eyes for any clue that made up this cryptic puzzle that was her. His violet gaze softened and he smiled at her. He took her hand and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles. "Ah, you have my word, fair lady."

Chuckling at his behavior, Sakura offered him an honest smile. "Thank you." she said, letting her hand fall at her side. "We better go. The sun has almost set." She turned around and began walking away calmly, stealing glances around and keeping an ear out for any unusual sounds.

All the while, she was perfectly aware of the green-haired man's violet gaze watching her closely.

 **TBC**

 **Hey guys!**

 **So, not that much happened in this chapter, but developing characters is important, as are the relationships between them. I'm almost sure about the pairing now and I'll be revealing in the next chapter most likely so stay tuned. I hope you liked the chapter! Drop a review to tell me your opinion.**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	8. Chapter 8

The smell of smoke had been floating in the air for quite some time and it was making Sakura worry. They were walking through a wooded area. A fire break-out would be extremely dangerous and without a significant body of water anywhere near them, it'd be particularly difficult to contain a fire even if she used water jutsu. She kept close to Yona and Yun, her eyes darting left and right, checking the environment for any abnormalities. Hak was on the lead along with Kija with Shin-Ah and Zeno bringing up the rear. Jeaha was walking a few feet ahead of them.

The young medic looked up ahead, noticing that the trees were thinning out, but, at the same time, the smell of smoke was growing more intense. She furrowed her brow, a feeling of worry settling at the pit of her stomach. She inched closer to Yona, her fingers going to rest on her weapon's pouch.

As they broke through the trees, Kija's sharp intake of breath was all the warning Sakura got before she was met with the terrible sight. Her eyes widened as she took in the destroyed landscape. It was a farm, or what remained of it. Only two walls remained standing from what used to be a farmhouse and they were black and charred and crumbling piece by piece. A second building that Sakura guessed was an animal barn stood some distance away in equally despairing condition. The doors lay torn off their hinges and there was a cloud of black smoke rising to the sky through the half-crumbled roof.

"W-What happened here?" asked Yun, his eyes wide as he took in the sight.

"That's a good question." remarked Hak, his own eyes assessing the situation. He stole a glance at Sakura to see her emerald gaze analyzing the sight before them. Her expression changed from worry to cold, hardened calculation, her irises darting all over the landscape.

"Could the Imperial Cavalry have done this?" wondered Kija, looking expectantly at Hak.

The dark-haired warrior shook his head. "I highly doubt it. The new Emperor wants the people to accept his position with as little trouble as possible. Sending his soldiers to burn down farmlands doesn't seem like a good way to achieve that."

"What are your thoughts on this, Sakura?" asked Jeaha, surprising not only the medic herself, but the rest of their companions as well. The green-haired man's question was a lot more than just a simple request for opinion. Through that act, he was declaring to all of them that he trusted her enough to take her views on their situation into consideration.

Sakura wanted to smile, but kept her face expressionless. "I agree with Hak. I don't know a lot about your new Emperor, but I know enough about leadership to be positive that the public's support is something you want if you wish to maintain your position long-term. This wasn't the job of the Capital."

"Then who did it?"

"Whose territory is this?" asked Sakura, turning to Hak.

The man pinned her with his electric blue gaze, though she showed no signs of faltering. "We are near the mountains, north of Kuuto, the Imperial Capital. This is Fire Tribe territory."

The pink-haired woman nodded. "What's their affiliation?"

Kija raised a white eyebrow. "Affiliation?"

Sakura glanced at him before her eyes fell on Hak once more. "Where do their loyalties lie?"

Understanding what she was getting at, the dark-haired warrior shook his head. "The Fire tribesmen never were particularly pleased with the late Emperor Ill's way of ruling the kingdom. They are loyal to the new King, have no doubt about that."

The young kunoichi nodded. "We have to be extra cautious then. Should the need present itself, is there anyone still loyal to the deceased Emperor that would be willing to offer us shelter?"

"Returning back to Awa is an option." said Jeaha. "The Awa Port is under Earth Tribe rule. The Fire Tribe wouldn't dare violate the borders of Earth Tribe territory and risk the rage of powerful and warlike General Lee Geun-Tae. Also, Captain Gigan looks after her own. She'd take us in, no questions asked."

"Captain Gigan?" asked Sakura, raising an eyebrow.

Jeaha flashed her a charming smile. "Fascinating woman. And she'd definitely take a liking to you."

"Would she, now." Sakura chuckled, though her expression became somber a moment later. "We are officially in enemy territory. Those riders that passed through before us could easily be part of the Fire Tribe's military, though we can't say that for sure."

"But the question remains. This can't be the work of Fire Tribe's military." said Yun, walking forward and motioning to the destroyed landscape. "If the Imperial Cavalry didn't do it, then who did?"

"That's what I'd like to find out." replied Hak, taking a few steps forward. "Follow me. We need to scout the area."

Sakura frowned. "Are you sure about this? Whoever did this could still be around."

"You can always wait for us to come back, if you are scared, Pinky."

"That's not what I meant-Ugghh!" The young woman stopped mid-sentence, knowing that no matter what she said. Hak would just carry on without paying her any mind. She'd rather not pick another fight with him. Rolling her green eyes, she turned to Yona, Yun and Zeno, who hadn't followed the others. "Yona-Hime, Yun, please follow my advice and remain here. It's safer for you to stay away for now."

"But Sakura-"

"Don't argue with me, Yun. I'm just trying to keep you safe. I'd feel better knowing that you aren't anywhere near that place." She turned to the blue-eyed dragon with the ever-present smile. "Will you please stay with them? I trust you to keep them safe, Zeno."

The man beamed at her. "Consider it done."

Sakura bowed her head in thanks, unable to keep a grin off her lips. Zeno's constant good mood was contagious. She smiled at Yona and Yun, trying to alleviate their nervousness. "We won't be long. We'll just take a look around and return. So, stay out of sight and don't stray from Zeno's side."

She could feel three pairs of eyes on her back as she caught up with the others, but she focused her attention on the task at hand. Really, with everything that was happening, it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep her true identity a secret. She knew that Hak was more than just suspicious of her. Heck, had she been in his shoes, she would have been suspicious too. This wasn't Konoha. Mere healers weren't supposed to involve themselves in anything battle-related. But she didn't have much choice, did she?

She sighed, shaking those thoughts from head, and looked around. The sight was depressing. There was charred wood everywhere and the air smelt of burnt corn and hay. The farmhouse was all but destroyed with a collapsed roof and crumbling walls. Or what remained of them, at least. There was no sign of life anywhere around them. She could see a wooden enclosure on her right, but the gate was broken, so the animals kept there had probably escaped to the woods.

"What happened to the owners?" asked Jeaha, unbeknownst to him voicing her thoughts.

"We should probably look for them." said Kija with a frown. "They could be in need of help."

"That won't be necessary." Hak's voice made them look at him. "Look over there."

The group turned their eyes to where he was pointing. Kija sucked in a breath and Sakura's eyes widened. A few feet away from them, partially hidden by a pile of black wood, lay the lifeless bodies of a man and a woman. She rushed to them, followed closely by the others. She pushed the burnt wood aside and kneeled beside the bodies to examine them. They were middle aged, mid-forties probably. Both their faces were set in ugly grimaces, though rigor mortis and probably a great amount of fear right before death were to blame for that. She made a mandatory check for pulse, though she never expected to find one.

"What happened to these people?"

"Taking rigor mortis and lividity into account, these two have been dead for approximately four to six hours. The cause of death is pretty obvious, I believe." she answered, pointing at their slit throats.

"Who could have done this?"

A rustling in the leaves made Sakura look up from the bodies. She narrowed her eyes, her mind running a mile a minute. Without taking her eyes away from the direction of the sound, she addressed the dark-haired warrior. "Hak, do you know of any -"

An almost inaudible 'whoosh' was all the warning she got before she ducked, barely managing to avoid an arrow to the neck.

"-bands of outlaws around here."

Sakura cursed inwardly. She should have known better than to allow them to spend so much time out in the open. Especially with those two bodies to warn them that there were hostiles in the area. She scanned the area, trying to calculate their numbers.

At first glance, Sakura wasn't particularly impressed by their enemies. They weren't even trying to be stealthy with their approach, treading through the trees loudly, shouting obscenities at each other. The young medic grimaced in disgust. _'What a sad lot…..'_

She glanced at her companions to see that they too were assessing their situation. Hak had a firm grip of his weapon and Shin-Ah already had his sword drawn. Kija's dragonic claws were flexing, and though Jeaha appeared calm, she knew that every muscle in his body was tense.

' _At least twenty of them.'_ she concluded, though that number could be wrong. More of them could still be hiding in those trees. She swept her gaze over them, her eyes isolating the only figure of the group that had their face covered under the hood of a tattered cloak.

' _The leader perhaps?'_ She narrowed her eyes.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" said a voice and they immediately realized that it was coming from the person with the hood. It sounded confident and mocking. "It seems that we are lucky, boys. We have fresh prey for the second time this day. And what a rare jewel is that? My lady." he said, making a show of bowing. Sakura just wanted to put a kunai through his heart.

The crowd of bandits erupted in obnoxious cheers, whistling and yelling profanities. Their weapons were anything from rusted swords and wooden clubs to well-polished spears that they had probably stolen from a merchant or Fire Tribe soldiers that had gone astray from their platoon. "Let the fun begin, boss!" shouted one of them, making Sakura scowl. _'I'll show you fun, you son of a bitch…'_

The leader rested his -for it was definitely a male- hand on the hilt of a longsword that fell against his hip. "Kill the men and take anything valuable they have on them. Bring the woman to me."

The bandits began to move closer, forcing the dragons, Hak and Sakura to form a tight circle, their backs almost pressing together. The pink-haired medic stood between Jeaha and Hak, kunai in hand and emerald eyes flashing with the thrill of the upcoming battle. It'd be a lie to say that she wasn't excited. It'd been a while since the last time she crossed blades with someone and the prospect of adrenaline coursing through her veins left her tingling.

"Not to brag or anything." remarked the woman. "But I told you so."

"Well, Pinky." started Hak, earning himself a sideways glance from the woman. "If you have an ace up your sleeve, now would be a good time to use it."

Sakura just smirked. And it was feral.

 **TBC**

 **Hey there guys! How are you?**

 **Sorry for the long wait. My horse and I took part in a dressage tournament half a week ago and the training we had to do for that left me with little to no free time.**

 **Anyway! The long awaited moment has arrived and I can honestly say that I took a variety of factors into consideration before making this decision. The pairing for this story is going to be JeahaXSakura. Supporters of that ship, rejoice! The rest of you, I'm sorry if I disappointed you. I seriously considered making this a HakXSakura story, but no matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn't find a solid enough reason why Hak would just get over his feelings for Yona and turn his affections to Sakura. The HakXYona ship is so deeply rooted in Akatsuki no Yona that it seemed almost impossible to destroy it. Sorry to those who wished to see it. Moving on, Shin-Ah is too cute for his own good and I really like his character, but it seems to me that a romantic relationship between him and Sakura wouldn't work out. He's far too…boy-ish and socially awkward to be anything more than a little brother to her. We all know that Sakura already has enough silent, socially-handicapped males around her. Zeno, with his past and the story of his late wife didn't seem like a good choice. Also, he's far too childlike, which also applies to Kija. Therefore, Jeaha seemed like the best choice. He's a handsome man, strong, with his own sad past, but is also a man that could challenge Sakura. Not to mention, his flirtatious nature is bound to cause some drama.**

 **Sorry for the long Author's Note. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned for the next! Drop a review to tell me your opinion.**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	9. Chapter 9

Sakura smirked. And it was feral.

Kija looked at her uplifted lips in confusion. "With all due respect, Sakura-san, but I do not believe that our situation is amusing in any way."

The young medic glanced at him in the corner of her eye, her smirk widening. "Just wait and see."

The bandits were closed in on them, forcing them into a tighter circle, but Sakura made no move to engage any of them. She'd wait for the right time. Let them make the first move. Let them make the first mistake.

"Come on, boss! Say the word!" yelled one of the bandits, gripping a rusted sword in his hands. The pink-haired medic wanted to scoff at the sorry state of the weapon. That thing couldn't even cut through butter.

She narrowed her eyes at their opponents, briefly glancing at the leader of the group, who was keeping a distance from what would soon become a battlefield. _'Let's see if that is going to save him….'_

The guy bowed his head mockingly. "Have fun, boys. But don't hurt the woman too much."

' _Isn't that ironic?'_ thought the girl, wanting to shake her head at how little these people were aware of. Her whole body was tense, ready for the upcoming battle. She craved it. Craved that thrill, the breath of air through her hair, the sound of clashing steel.

"Milady, stay behind me!"

The young medic kept herself from cackling at that. Really, it was a noble thing for Kija to say, but it also made her want to laugh. "I'm pretty sure I'll be just fine, Kija, but thank you for offering." she answered cheekily, flashing him a grin.

The bandits made the first move and it was as sloppy and uncoordinated as Sakura had expected. The first one to attack was a burly man with a skull tattoo on his arm and an iron club in his hands. He swung it at Jeaha who expertly jumped away, breaking their tight circle. After that, Sakura had little time to observe her companions in battle, though she was quite interested in doing so. One could tell a lot about a person by observing their fighting style.

She did a quick back-flip to avoid the swing of a sword before pouncing on her opponent, turning her body in mid-air in order to latch her legs around his head, effectively breaking his neck. He fell to the ground with a dull thud and the young kunoichi spared him no glance before moving on to the next.

She crushed the chin of a second bandit with a well-placed punch and flipped herself over a third one, sending her kunai through his jugular. She caught a knife thrown her way before sending it back through its owner's stomach. She wanted to sigh at how predictable these people were. This barely counted as a workout.

To say that Hak and the rest of the dragons were bewildered would be an understatement. Kija and Jeaha stared wide-eyed as the woman tore through their enemies effortlessly, never missing a step. Her movements flowed gracefully as if she was dancing, not batting an eye as her strange knife slit the throat of a man at least twice her size.

"Hak, are you seeing this?" yelled Kiga, jumping back to avoid an attack before slashing his opponent with his claws.

"Seeing. Still trying to wrap my head around it." shouted back the black-haired warrior, his weapon clashing with his enemy's sword. _'Just who the hell are you, Haruno?'_

Sakura giggled at their bewildered expressions. It was quite amusing and it offered her a fair amount of satisfaction, to be honest. She'd never seen Hak so surprised before. Without missing a beat, she ducked just in time to avoid a kick aimed at her back before swiftly turning around to land a powerful kick in the guy's gut, sending him crashing into a nearby tree.

"Didn't anybody teach you not to treat a lady like that?" she said mockingly before flashing the other bandits circling her a dashing smile. "I suppose you have similar manners."

For a moment they hesitated, looking unsure whether it'd be a good idea or not to attack. It made Sakura's smile turn into a smirk. They charged at her at the same time, all four of them believing that their superior numbers would overwhelm her. The young medic rolled her eyes at their attempts. She broke the first guy's chin, jumping in the air only to land on the second bandit's back, breaking his spine with her knee. In an a display of false bravado, another one of those brutes tried to grab her in order to immobilize her, only to have the attempt blow up in his face when the much smaller female landed on his shoulders and twisted his neck. His lifeless body crashed to the ground as she did a backflip and expertly landed on her feet.

She turned her emerald gaze on the fourth of her assailants, a young lad, probably a new recruit that didn't even know how to hold his sword right. She pinned him with her eyes. "Boo!" His rapid escape made her giggle and she waved her fingers after him in goodbye.

She took a quick look around to make sure that the others were holding their own. A hasty assessment of her companions' condition told her that other than a slight pant, they were perfectly unharmed. Satisfied with that, she focused her gaze on her primary target.

The man stood near the unlucky owners of the farm, never partaking in the fight, only observing from afar as his men met their demise. His hand rested on the sword at his hip, his grip clenching and unclenching around the hilt. He was tense, she could tell despite the cloak concealing half his body and face. The fingers of his free hand flexed nervously as he watched his group get beaten by people that should have been their prey.

She moved towards him, stepping over the fallen body of one of his men. She was calm as she stared at the visible part of his face, her one hand resting on her waist and the other twirling a blood-coated kunai.

"Are you satisfied?" she asked him, her eyes hard. "After murdering that innocent couple, is this how you envisioned this day would end?"

"You are slaughtering my men as we speak." he hissed back at her, though he didn't move from his spot.

The young woman grinned, though her grin was anything but kind. "Oh trust me, I'm enjoying it thoroughly."

"How does that make you any better than us?"

"You'd be a fool to think that I'm better than you." she answered, twirling her kunai before sending it flying through a bandit's neck that had been trying to sneak up on her from the left. "I'm worse than you'll ever be."

She saw him flinch slightly when the body of his now dead accomplice fell a couple of inches from his feet, blood coating his time-worn leather boots. "Now, you have two options." started the girl, replacing the kunai in her hand. "You either take your pathetic lot and leave, or you all die here."

"I have more men and there's only five of you." answered the man defiantly, clenching his fist around the hilt of his sword. "The soldiers didn't manage to stop us. They are all dead now. What makes you think you are gonna be any different?"

' _The soldiers?'_ Sakura's eyes narrowed at that, but she didn't press the matter. She'd put more thought into it later, though some things were starting to make a lot more sense now.

"Take a look around." She motioned with her head, never taking her eyes off him. "Does it look like you have any chance of getting the upper hand?" The bodies of over a dozen bandits were scattered around, some of them in peculiar positions with broken spines and snapped bones. The surrounding area was a bloodbath and she sincerely hoped that Yona and Yun hadn't witnessed any of it.

She could almost hear the gritting of his teeth as he took an involuntary step back. His fist remained tight around the hilt of his sword, clenching and unclenching, but he made no move to unsheathe it. _'A wise choice…..'_

For a couple of minutes, the leader appeared torn between staying where he was and fleeing the scene as fast as he could. Screams of pain reached their ears as the dragons and Hak made quick work of finishing off bandit after bandit. Apparently, the sight of his men being wiped out was enough to push him into making a decision.

"Fall back!" he barked, already moving towards the nearest cluster of trees. "Let's get out of here." His men were quick to follow his orders and the made a hasty escape to the trees, not even sparring their dead teammates a second glance. The young medic watched them as they fled the scene and sneered at their desperate retreat. She kept her eyes on them until she was sure that every single one of them had disappeared in the woods.

"Oi Pinky! What did you tell the guy to make him run away like that?"

She turned around to face Hak and the dragons. "I gave him a choice." she answered, shrugging. "It was pretty obvious how this would have turned out had he made the wrong decision."

"Speaking of which, what the hell was that?" asked the dark-haired man, watching her carefully.

"What was what?" she wondered, though she was perfectly aware what he was referring to.

"Don't play dumb with me. All that stuff you did back there. Where did you learn to fight like that?" Aside from safety issues, it would be a lie to say that Hak wasn't curious about the woman, who claimed to be a mere healer, but had displayed extraordinary skill in battle.

"Oh, you know." she said, sounding nonchalant, as if it was no big deal that she took down men twice as big as her not ten minutes ago. "Here and there."

The man growled at her. "Don't give me that, you hellcat."

"I'm curious too, milady." added Kija.

Jeaha was simply watching her curiously with his arms crossed across his chest, standing beside a silent Shin-Ah.

She turned to the white-haired man, more than pleased that she had gained their attention and successfully gotten under Hak's skin. She twirled a kunai in her hand effortlessly, as if it were a flower and not a deadly blade. "Well, you know, this information is confidential. I can't just reveal my master." she answered, inwardly smirking at how her evasive replies were grating on Hak's nerves. Ruffling his feathers was becoming a favorite hobby of hers.

"Why you little-"

"Hak! Watch out!" she yelled, a second after her sensitive ears caught the sound of the bow string from the trees behind her. She dove towards the stunned dark-haired warrior, shoving him aside just as the arrow reached her.

Hak's grunt of pain as he hit the ground was overshadowed by Sakura's painful scream as the sharp projectile tore through her side, tearing skin and muscle, the tip protruding from her back. Instinctively, she pressed her hand against the wound, but kept herself from using her chakra. "S-Son of a bitch." she cursed, spitting a mouthful of blood. "I should have known." She was quickly becoming lightheaded as her blood flowed through her fingers and she stumbled on her feet.

A pair of arms caught her before she fell and she looked up through foggy eyes to see Jeaha's worried violet gaze. "Sakura, can you hear me?" he asked, to which she nodded weakly. "Good. We're getting you to help. So, hang in there, ok?"

The young medic wanted to tell him that, despite outward appearances, such a wound was not enough kill her –her own organism was already feeding the wound with chakra in order to significantly speed up the healing process- but she was too dazed to reply properly so she merely nodded at him, allowing herself to lean on him. It wasn't like she had a choice. Through the fog clouding her mind, she vaguely registered the sound of ripping fabric and something being tied around her middle section.

Despite her body's enhanced healing ability, the lack of use of additional healing jutsu on her part meant that the wound would take longer to heal and the blood loss along with fatigue were taking their toll on her. A moment later, the world grew dark and she blacked out, falling unconscious in Jeaha's arms.

"Sakura!"

 **TBC**

 **Hey there guys! Sorry for the wait. I got caught up in a few things.**

 **Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. Finally, Sakura got some action and gave the dragons and Hak a jaw-dropping show!**

 **I would like to thank every single one of you for taking the time to read and review this story. I never expected it to receive so much love. This story continues to exist and grow because of your wonderful support. So, thank you! You are awesome!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	10. Chapter 10

Sakura blinked slowly, grunting in discomfort.

She opened her eyes, the initial blurriness of her vision causing a wave of dizziness to hit her. She waited for her eyesight to clear before attempting to look around. It had to be a bit after dusk. There was little light, just a sliver of dying golden light as the sun disappeared behind the mountains.

She tried to push herself into a sitting position in order to get a better look at her surroundings, noticing that she was wrapped in a cloak. _'This is Hak's…'_ She grunted, her movements puling at her wound, though she wasn't in any serious pain. She let the dark blue cloth fall from her shoulders and sighed in disdain at her torn shirt. _'I have to find clothes or very soon, I'll be walking in rags….'_ she noted at the back of her mind as she unwrapped the bandages from around her body.

The entry wound was small. Somewhat ragged around the edges, a lot less professional-like than most wounds of this kind that she had seen throughout her career as a medic. The archer had probably been an amateur and the arrow poorly made.

The injury was healing nicely. The bleeding had long since stopped and the usual crust was beginning to form. The pain was dull, as if some lazy torturer was standing beside her, only applying enough pressure to be a slight annoyance. Her chakra had been doing its job. Squinting at the wound, she noticed a thick white substance spread on it, looking a lot like an ointment. _'I'll have to ask Yun about this….'_ she thought as she re-wrapped the bandages around it. At this rate, her chakra would probably have the wound closed and over with, in a couple of days. She'd keep the bandages on for longer. Make sure that nobody grew suspicious. Even without medical training, she was pretty sure that the others could tell that a wound like that needed a lot more time to heal completely.

She stretched her hands above her head and, despite a small pang of pain, groaned in satisfaction as her bones popped back into place. She glanced around and for the first time noticed that two big rocks covered in moss obscured her view. Lush bushes of medium height covered most of the area around her, creating a good hiding spot. There was no sight of the others, though she could vaguely hear conversation some distance away, coming from behind the boulders.

She ran her fingers through her hair and breathed deeply. She pressed the palms of her hands against the ground and made to push herself up when a hand on her shoulder stopped her, pushing her back down.

"Don't even think about it. You are still recovering."

Sakura looked up and rolled her eyes at Jeaha's stern look. "I'm a healer, remember? I know what I'm doing." she said, making to stand only to fail when the green-haired man pushed her back down once more.

"Don't fight with me about this, Sakura. You are not winning." he answered back, crouching in front of her.

The young woman sighed, rubbing her eyes. "I'm fine, Jeaha. There's nothing to worry about." she tried reassuring him, though it went almost unheard. The stern look remained on the older man's face.

"An arrow ran you through." he said matter-of-factly. "That hardly counts as fine in my book."

"You are exaggerating." she retorted. "It's nothing more than a flesh wound. That archer had poor aim." A small smirk appeared on her lips, making Jeaha scowl at her.

He flicked her forehead, shaking his head at her stubbornness. "Poor aim or not, he still got you good."

Sakura scoffed as she rubbed her forehead. "Lucky shot!"

Jeaha rolled his violet eyes at her, but he couldn't contain his smile. "This is not about your ego, Sakura. Don't be such a child." She stuck her tongue out at him in response, making the green-haired man chuckle.

Sakura's smirk widened and she extended her hand towards him. "Now, be a good dragon and help me stand."

The violet-eyed man's gaze flickered between her face and her hand for a few seconds before he shook his head. "No. Forget about it."

"Oh come on, Jeaha!" she complained. "I'm sore from laying on the ground. I need to stretch my muscles. Also, I'm bored out of my mind!"

The green dragon rubbed his temples. "One would think boredom would be the last thing on your mind after that." he said, pointing at her wound.

The young woman scoffed, crossing her arms across her chest. "This is just a scratch. The arrow went through flesh. Didn't even come close to nicking any of my organs." she retorted, as if that statement would make him change his mind.

The man sighed, flicking his long ponytail over his shoulder. "You are too stubborn for your own good, you know that?"

The pink-haired medic grinned at him, taking his deep intake of breath as a sign that the man was very close to relenting. "So I've been told." she said good-naturedly, stretching her arm towards him, hoping that this time he would just take it and help her stand.

Jeaha's violet gaze flickered between her face and her hand once more, before he dropped his arms at his sides in defeat. Really, there was no reasoning with this woman. "Alright, I'll fulfil your wish."

The medic's eyes lit up. "Great! Now, pull me-"

"In one condition." he interrupted her, his lips lifting in a smile that bordered dangerously close to being a smirk.

"What? Condition? What are you talking-" Her sentence turned into a yelp of surprise when the handsome dragon put his one arm around her shoulders and the other under her knees, lifting her up in his embrace.

"What the hell are you doing?" she sputtered, red in the face from both surprise and embarrassment, though she did little to resist.

"What does it look like?" answered the man cheerfully. "I did what you asked. I helped you up."

Sakura rolled her eyes, crossing her arms across her chest. "This isn't exactly what I had in mind."

"Well, that's just too bad, isn't it my lady?" he replied with a satisfied smirk, raising his eyes to see the rest of their unusual party staring at them with varying degrees of surprise and amusement on their faces.

"Sakura! I'm glad to see you awake and well." said Yun, smiling at the pink-haired woman, the relief evident on his face as he stirred their dinner over a small fire. The young medic resisted the urge to mention that a fire during the night would make them stand out like a sore thumb. If Hak and the other dragons were alright with it, then so be it. She'd hold her tongue this one time. Their campsite was well-hidden; any aspiring assailants would have to climb the hill and come within a very close distance in order to see them and by the time that happened, Shin-Ah would have already taken notice and alerted the rest of them. They were safe for tonight.

"I'm fine, Yun. Thank you for your concern."

"If you are fine, then why is the letcher carrying you?" asked Hak in his usual cheeky manner, his eyes flickering between the two.

Realizing the she was still being carried by the green dragon, Sakura pulled at his long ponytail, hoping that it'd be enough to make him understand that it was time to release her. He complied with her request and settled her on the ground, his hand lingering at the small of her back, just to make sure that she wouldn't grow unsteady due to her injury.

The young medic sat herself between Kija and Shin-Ah, gratefully accepting the plate of warm food that Yun handed her. It warmed her hands and her mouth watered at the prospect of filling her belly with cooked food.

"I hope you are feeling better, my lady." said Kija. "You suffered a notable wound."

The woman swallowed her bite and smiled at the white-haired man. "No need to worry. Give it a bit of time and I'll be as good as new." she replied, leaving out the fact that the time it'd take her to heal was probably substantially shorter than they thought. She ran her eyes over every single one of the. "Are you guys alright? Any injuries I should take a look at?"

"Give it a rest, will you?" said Yun. "You just woke up yourself."

"Yun is right, Sakura." agreed Yona, pulling her cloak tighter around her. "We are all fine. Nobody else was injured. Speaking of which….." she trailed off, nudging Hak's side with her elbow.

"Ouch." he hissed in annoyance. "What?"

"Don't you have anything to say to her?"

"No."

Yona nudged him again, harder this time. "Hak…"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Hak! Don't make me order you to do it."

The man grumbled something under his breath-probably curses- and crossed his arms across his chest stubbornly. A few seconds later, he raised his head to meet the young medic's curious emerald gaze. He averted his blue eyes and said something through his teeth.

Yona slapped his upper arm in annoyance. "I didn't hear you."

Hak glared at her before turning to look at Sakura once more. "Thank you….." he mumbled.

The pink-haired medic strained her ears to hear him. "I didn't quite catch that."

Hak growled at her, but repeated his previous statement. "I said thank you. For helping….back there."

Sakura's mouth formed and 'o' of realization and she twirled a lock of her hair around her finger in slight awkwardness. "You…You are welcome." she replied, smiling at him genuinely, probably for the first time since the start of their eventful camaraderie. She wasn't used to this kind of behavior from Hak. It was a pleasant change, even if it was forced.

"This doesn't mean I hate you any less or anything." he was quick to add, resorting back to his usual brash self, though the small smirk playing at the corners of his lips said otherwise.

Momentarily stunned by his quick change of attitude, Sakura laughed and grinned at him widely, her previous embarrassment gone with the wind as they fell back into their usual routine of competitive banter, though a gut feeling told her that there had been a shift in the dynamics of their relationship.

"You know you love me!" she teased.

"I'd rather eat moss."

The rest of them laughed.

 **TBC**

 **Hey, how is it going folks?**

 **Sorry for the long wait. I hope the chapter made up for it. A few changes in the relationships of our heroes, though Sakura remains secretive about her abilities. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Leave a review to tell me your opinion.**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	11. Chapter 11

"Cheonsu plant?" wondered Sakura, testing the foreign word on her tongue. "I've never heard of it before."

Yun nodded, smiling at the young woman as they sat side by side, chopping the vegetables that'd serve as their breakfast. Hak and Kija were hunting in the woods, Jeaha was looking for water and Shin-Ah was keeping watch, sweeping the surrounding hills with his superior eyesight. Yona was still asleep a few feet away, at a distance that'd keep their voices from disturbing her, and Zeno was sitting close to her as a precaution in case of a surprise attack. His usual kind smile was plastered on his face as he observed the clouds above them in a way that reminded Sakura of Shikamaru.

"Captain Gigan gave it to us before we left Awa." continued the boy, picking at the hot coals that remained of the small fire they had lit a couple of hours ago. "It's really effective. We were all kinda shocked when we saw just how much."

The young medic listened to him intently, nodding at his explanation, her interest piqued, eager to learn more about this healing plant. "And you are absolutely certain that it only has healing properties?" she asked. "You didn't mistake wolfsbane for this cheonsu plant, did you?" She'd have to look more into this plant, despite Yun's words. No matter what the others said, she couldn't possibly be sure that this Captain Gigan they spoke so highly of was adequately knowledgeable about herbs and their properties. One simple mistake could prove deadly if one meddled in stuff that they weren't trained for and medicine was one of the most typical examples.

Yun chuckled at his companion's suspicious nature. "Relax, Sakura. I'm fairly certain I didn't put wolfsbane on your wound." he said, another chuckle leaving his lips.

The young medic huffed good-naturedly. "One can never be too careful, kiddo. Lead half the life that I have and inevitably, it becomes second nature."

"Which reminds me." started Yun, thanking his luck for the girl's last statement. He hadn't been very keen on the idea of starting a conversation about her life himself, lest it made him seem as an invader of her personal space. "I heard what happened from Kija. Where did you even learn to….you know, fight like that?"

Sakura chuckled, noticing the hesitation in his voice despite his attempts at hiding it. "I'm surprised you managed to hold your tongue for as long as you did, Yun." she said teasingly, giggling at the light blush that rose to the boy's cheeks.

"Well…..Where did you?"

Taking a deep breath, the medic focused her attention on the task of chopping vegetables, though her mind was running a mile a minute, choosing the information she meant to share carefully. "You may think that your land is going through a rough time; that you are at war. But the truth is that my home is far more dangerous than you imagine. It's unlike anything you have ever experienced. Peace is nothing but a short break in order to prepare for the next battle."

"So….Your people train women to fight?" asked the boy, as if the notion itself was bizarre. Sakura couldn't blame him. From what she had seen, women that could fight their own battles were almost unheard of around these parts of the world.

"Women and men, trained since childhood until our last breaths. We have to protect ourselves and our own, Yun. The structure of our society is vastly different from yours."

The boy listened to her attentively with a furrowed brow. "Do you have to? I mean….If someone doesn't want to learn how to fight….Do they have that choice?"

The young medic smiled at him. "Of course. It's an entirely personal choice. A village can't survive on soldiers alone, Yun. It needs a substantial civilian population in order to function properly."

"So, you are both a soldier and a doctor?" asked the boy, appearing satisfied by her previous amswer.

Sakura nodded. "I'm a combat medic. I was trained to fight, even though my primary purpose is to ensure my comrades' survival."

The auburn-haired boy's eyes widened slightly. "Wow….That's…..a pretty stressful job."

"Well, no argument there." The young woman shrugged. "It's not something you can get completely used to, Yun. You just learn not to get attached."

The auburn haired youth furrowed his brows, the movement of his hands slowly coming a stop. He seemed contemplative, watching her in the corner of his eye, as if choosing his words carefully. He probably was. Sakura thought it was sweet of him, really. Being so careful not to invade her privacy in any way. It was a pleasant change, especially considering she had been on the same team as Naruto for the better part of her life. The blonde knucklehead had absolutely no intention of keeping his nose out of her business. She missed him….dearly.

"Have you….Have you ever…..?" Yun's incomplete question broke her out of her thoughts, effectively providing her with an adequate distraction to keep her mind from going down that lane. There would be time for that later.

The young medic smiled softly, sensing the boy's discomfort along with his curiosity to know more. "Have I ever lost anybody?" He flinched. "It's inevitable, Yun. No matter how many people you manage to save, there will always be loses. We aren't Gods, Yun. We can't cheat death indefinitely."

"Oi! Are you two ready yet?" Their conversation came to a stop, interrupted by the timely arrival of the rest of their party. Their heads turned to where the voice had come from to see Kija and Hak emerging from the trees, a young whitetail stag slung over the dark-haired man's shoulders.

"Have some patience, will you?" shot back Yun, his spirits apparently lifting after their solemn conversation. "We can't rush it, otherwise it won't come out good."

Sakura giggled. The young boy took pride in his cooking, that was for sure. Not even Hak's moodiness was enough to intimidate him. An admirable feat, to be honest. Despite their petty feud, Sakura had to admit that the older warrior had a very commanding aura. She set her knife down and turned to Hak. "I'll take care of that." she said, relieving him of the stag's weight.

"Watch it! That thing's heavy-"

Sakura slung the dead animal over her shoulder effortlessly, using one hand to keep it in place and placing the other on her waist. "You were saying?"

Hak stared at her for a moment, his blue eyes flickering between the stag and her face. "You know what, I don't even wanna know. Do whatever the hell you want." he said, waving her off as he sat down further away from them. Kija followed him shortly after, flexing his clawed hand to relieve the tension from his muscles.

Sakura wanted to laugh at his retreating back, though she held her tongue. Shifting the stag on her shoulder, she put some distance between herself and their camp, disappearing behind the tree line. The job she had to do was kinda messy and came with a strong smell. She'd rather not have that near the place she slept.

It took her 45 minutes to skin the stag and get rid of the parts that they wouldn't need. The dead animal was a good 250 of meat. They didn't have much time, but if she smoked enough of it and stored it in a sealing scroll, it'd certainly last them a while.

' _Better get to work then…..'_

XxxOxOxOxxX

Nightfall found them around a small fire, keeping their toes warm while they ate the food Yun had prepared using meat from the stag and a variety of edible roots and aromatic leaves. It was rich in flavor and filled their stomachs pleasantly. It'd give them an energy boost and that was something they certainly needed at this point. There was silence among them, pleasant silence, interrupted by the crackling of the fire and the sound of stone grinding against stone.

"You should eat, Sakura. The food is gonna grow cold and you need the nutrients. That wound hasn't healed completely yet." said Yun, pouring a much needed second serving in his bowl.

The pink-haired medic looked up from what she was doing and smiled at him. "Thank you for your concern, Yun. Just give me a few more minutes. I'll eat right after I'm done."

"Why the hell are you doing that anyway?" asked Hak, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "What good is a pair of stag antlers?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, resuming to put pressure on the two rocks between which she was grounding the antlers into as fine a powder as she could. "Well, stag antlers, my uneducated teammate-" she started, earning a snarl from the dark-haired male. "-are very rich in minerals like calcium and phosphorus. Large predators usually discard them, but small animals like squirrels and rabbits and porcupines gnaw upon them, mainly in regions where these minerals are hard to find."

Hak sneered. "Who cares about all that? What good is it gonna do us?"

"Next time you get hurt, you big dork, this powder will help you recover faster. That's the good it's gonna do you." shot back the medic, unfazed by Hak's behavior. She was used to his manners by now, so she just continued her work, concentrating on the rhythmic circular movement of her hands. The dark-haired male huffed in response but said no more after that.

Another ten minutes went by in silence as the rest of the party finished up their dinner. Sakura was the last to finish, having started eating than the rest of them. The moment she set her bowl down, Kija cleared his throat to gain their attention.

"I do believe it's about time we discussed some pressing matters." he started and turned to Sakura. "My lady, I am very curious about your encounter with the leader of that group of bandits."

The young medic nodded, taking a deep breath. "Most of our conversation was just plain old trying to intimidate one another. But I did manage to get him to reveal something. Something important that sheds some light on a few things, but it does make me worry." She passed her gaze over the lot of them, taking in the frowns on their faces. Her eyes lingered on Yun and Yona a few more seconds than the others.

"Well, what the hell are you waiting for? Spill it!"

Rolling her eyes, the pink-haired woman ignored Hak's brash remark. "He said something about the soldiers. That they were sent to intercept his group, but failed. I'm still doubtful that two dozen trained soldiers were sent just to take out that miserable gang, so I'm going to assume that they were just part of their mission. The point is that all the soldiers were killed."

"All of them?"

Sakura turned to Yona, noticing the distressed look on the younger girl's face. Her fists were clenched tightly on her lap and her eyes were wide, her lips slightly agape in a silent gasp. "I'm afraid so, Yona-Hime."

"How does that affect us?" asked Zeno, eyeing his companions.

"That means that our troubles just doubled."

Hak nodded. "The pervert's right. Apparently, the group of thugs we encountered were deemed enough of a problem for the Capital to dispatch those soldiers to take them out."

"That or their mission was entirely different and their run-in with the bandits that cost them their lives was accidental." added Sakura, clearly referring to their situation, and though all of them understood it, no one dared voice it. "Whichever the case, the problem remains. Even if the Capital hadn't known anything about that group, they sure do now. And it's only a matter of time before they send a larger force to deal with that."

"We need to be more cautious than ever." said Kija, flexing his claws nervously.

"So that means….." trailed off Yun, his face looking paler despite the soft orange illumination of the fire.

"That means that we will probably have to fight again. And soon." finished Sakura.

Nobody could find it in themselves to say anything after that, mostly because they knew she was right. There was no denying that more battles would follow and sooner than any of them wanted. Silence fell over their camp; uncomfortable silence that made their throats close up and the blood to chill despite the fire.

It took Sakura a couple of minutes to break the silence. "I got one question…"

The others turned their attention to her, broken out of their thoughts, though there was no doubt that their minds were following similar paths. Nevertheless, they focused their gazes on the pink-haired woman, awaiting to hear her question, guessing that it had to do with their situation.

"If Hak dies, can I have his Hsu Quandao?"

The dark-haired warrior's face changed from surprise to anger and he snarled at the smirking medic. "What was that you hellcat?!"

And just like that there was laughter and the solemn mood from a few moments before dissolved into the air along with the sparks from the hissing fire.

 **TBC**

 **I'm alive! So sorry for dropping off the face of the Earth like that guys, but we had some family issues we had to resolve. All's good now though, so no worries!**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys liked the chapter! I'll be updating soon, so stay tuned. I want to hear your opinion so READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	12. Chapter 12

Sakura bit into her apple, savoring the familiar taste as she continued to watch Hak and Yona in amusement. Perched high up on a tree, her left leg swinging leisurely, she chuckled at her two comrades. Hak was trying to teach Yona how to hit moving targets with her bow. With little luck, from what she could tell. She snorted when the small, red-haired girl slapped Hak's arm, earning a scowl from the man, though she was suspicious that it was more directed at her than the princess. Of course Hak would know that she was up there observing them.

Eating what remained of her apple, she stretched her back and dropped down from her place on the branch, doing a back-flip and landing expertly on her feet.

Yona jumped back in surprise, letting a startled yelp. "Sakura!"

The pink-haired medic grinned, waving her fingers at them in greeting, furthering Hak's sour mood. He rolled his eyes at her. "Nobody called you, Pinky. Go away." he ordered, making a shooing motion with his hands.

"Oh, give it a rest, will you?" she shot back, turning to Yona with a smile. "What are you trying to do Yona-Hime?" she asked, though she was perfectly aware of what that was.

The red-haired princess sighed in what seemed like disappointment. "Well, Hak's been trying to teach me how to hit moving targets." she said, playing with the feathers of the arrow in her hands nervously. "Can't say that he's been very successful though." she mumbled under her breath, shooting the man a look.

Sakura snorted in amusement, holding back a laugh that would have angered Hak even more for certain. "Well, perhaps you'd be interested in a small training session with me? I could show you a trick or two." she said with a grin, excited at the prospect of helping Yona and getting under Hak's skin at the same time.

The red-haired princess nodded her head vigorously, her eyes lighting up. "That'd be great! Thank you so-"

"No. Get back to where you came from. We don't need you here." interrupted Hak, scowling at the medic, though he seemed more annoyed than angry. It was a great improvement compared to the scathing looks he used to send her prior to the incident with the bandits and the arrow. It was good progress, if you asked her.

Sakura chuckled, eyeing the arrows stuck in tree barks at odd angles, some of them damaged beyond repair. "Yeah, I see what you mean." she replied sarcastically, before turning to Yona. "Here Yona-Hime, let me show you."

She approached the younger girl, who was watching her every move. "Now, raise that bow for me, will you?" The princess did as she was told and the pink-haired medic proceeded to correct her posture, adjusting her feet and changing the position of Yona's hand on the bow. Taking a step back, Sakura stood on the girl's left, allowing her a few seconds to feel comfortable with maintaining that position and smiled reassuringly when the princess looked at her in the corner of her eye, seeking assurance that she was doing it right.

Sending a cocky grin at Hak, who was standing a few feet away, watching them intently, Sakura took an apple out of her pouch. "There are many factors that go into scoring a kill shot and to be honest, only practice makes perfect. But there are a few things that you should take into consideration every time you pick that bow up." she said, looking Yona in the eye. "First of all, the range of the target and your ability to accurately judge that range. That's not an easy thing to do and it takes time to reach a respectable level. Don't be disappointed if you don't get it right at first. It takes time and patience." She smiled at the girl reassuringly. "Then comes the direction and strength of the wind. It's best if you don't go against the wind. That never works in your favor. Use the elements to your advantage and you'll need no other ally." Yona was listening intently, absorbing her every word, noted the medic. "Also, make sure that there are no obstacles blocking your way. Brush, vegetation, rocks. You don't want any of that between you and your target." She moved around Yona, coming to stand on her other side, a little further away, apple still in hand. "Now, how about we test it out?"

The red-haired princess faltered for a bit, unsure of herself. "Wait, Sakura, are you sure-"

"Shoot!" ordered the medic, throwing the apple within range, catching the girl by surprise. As expected, the first arrow hit far from the target, disappearing inside some low bushes, making Yona look after it dejectedly.

Sakura picked up the apple before turning to Yona. "Why the long face? Nobody expects you to get it right away, Hime." she said cheerily. "Now, get in position and draw that bowstring."

The girl did as she was instructed, though she seemed a little less confident than before. Sakura smiled at her encouragingly. "Again!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

"Again!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

"Again!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

Yona took a deep breath, clenching her fingers around the sleek wood of her bow, the bowstring making a very light, almost inaudible sound as she pulled it. Sakura was standing a couple of feet ahead, throwing and catching the apple repeatedly, waiting for her to get ready.

The young princess tried to steel her resolve and regain the confidence in herself. As challenging as this seemed, she had to stay focused; she had to do it. No matter how hard Sakura and Hak and the others tried to shield her, the possibility remained that a time would come when she'd have to face an enemy alone, devoid of their protection. She couldn't rely on them for everything and she certainly couldn't allow herself to go down without putting up at least some sort of fight. Both Hak and Sakura were going out of their way to teach her. She couldn't let them down.

Taking another deep breath, she nodded curtly, catching Sakura's grin in the corner of her eye. The apple was in the air before she could even blink. But this time, instead of blindly shooting the arrow, she took a second to watch its course, the curve it followed. She released the bowstring and the arrow whooshed forward. She immediately shut her eyes, not wanting to see another one of her failed attempts. It didn't last long.

Sakura's excited yelp made her eyes snap open and she barely had any time to register what was going on before she was engulfed in a hug by the pink-haired medic. "You did it, Yona! You hit the target!"

The red-haired girl's eyes widened. "I did?"

The older woman nodded her head vigorously, a beaming smile splitting her lips as she pointed at the arrow that had run the apple through and gotten stuck in the bark of a tree. "I'm so proud of you!"

As it slowly dawned on her, Yona couldn't help the scream of glee that left her lips and for the first time since meeting her, Sakura could say that the princess looked her age and not like a child who had been forced to grow up far too quickly.

Hak just rolled his eyes at their behavior, watching them from a few feet away. _'Women…'_

"Alright, alright." said Sakura as she untangled herself from the girl's tight embrace. "I say we call it a day. You've made great progress, Hime. We can pick up where we left off tomorrow eve-" she trailed off, her head turning south. She strained her ears, trying to catch the sound. It was coming from afar, but it was definitely there. A deep sound, velvety and low.

Her abrupt silence alarmed Hak, who abandoned his position and closed the distance between them in three long strides. "What's wrong, Pinky?"

"Hak…listen. Can you hear that?" she said, keeping her voice low, instinctively getting in front of the princess.

"What are you talking about? I can't heat any-" He was cut of abruptly as the sound went off again and this time, it sounded much closer, almost worryingly so.

Sakura frowned. "That sounds a lot like a horn….." she started, watching the dark-haired man in the corner of her eye.

"Imperial horns. The Capital has found us."

 **TBC**

 **Hey there guys! How are you?**

 **Sorry for the long wait, but I'm pleased to announce that my Chinese language exams are over and that means more frequent updates. This chapter is one of those filler chapters that I'm not particularly fond of, but that are necessary to develop a story properly. It's a bit shorter than others, just some relationship development and bonding time between Sakura and Yona. Things will get more eventful in the next chapters though, so stay tuned. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Leave a review to tell me your opinion. I always love to read everything you have to say.**

 **Until next time!**

 **Merry Christmas and lots of love to everyone out there!**


	13. Chapter 13

It was a bad idea for a variety of reasons. Sakura knew it was a bad idea for a variety of reasons.

But what choice did they have? Those Imperial riders were only a couple of miles away from their camp. It would take just a single scout and it would be over. Only one pair of eyes was needed and their camp would be overrun in a few minutes. She knew that they were more than capable of protecting themselves. Hell, that run-in with the bandits had been enough to establish that her teammates were more than capable warriors. But at the moment, allowing a battle between them and the Imperial Cavalry to break out would only lead to trouble.

For one, it would only attract more of the Capital's attention which would surely lead to more reinforcements flooding in. They were on the Palace's black list as it was. No need to make things any worse than they already were.

Second, the force closing in on them sounded quite formidable. While she was confident that she and the other dragons wouldn't have any trouble driving them off, she couldn't be sure that it wouldn't result in injury or capture for Yun and Yona. Those two wouldn't be able to fend for themselves and would have to rely on one of them. But with such an Imperial force closing in, she was doubtful any of them would be able to offer any kind of adequate protection. They'd have their hands full, that was for sure.

Sighing heavily, she pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, shielding her trademark pink hair. Turning her back to the direction she knew her comrades we hiding in, she whispered a quick 'Henge', making her locks change to a soft brunette hue. No need to freak them out even more. She'd go one step at a time with revealing her abilities. What she was about to do was risky enough and had been met with a strong wave of opposition by her teammates. Yun and Yona were scared, Jeaha was worried, Kija thought she was taking unnecessary risks and Hak thought she was just bonkers. Shin-Ah was silent and Zeno was…..well, Zeno.

But the way she saw it, there was little else they could do. Know your enemy they said. And if this was a chance to get information about the people after them and what the hell was going on, then so be it. It wasn't exactly the riskiest thing she had ever done, anyway.

Glancing over her shoulder, she made sure that the others were well-hidden. She was pretty sure that the layers of genjutsu she had placed on the area would be more than enough to keep them safe from prying eyes, but it was always a good idea to double-check.

Hearing the very distinct sound of horse hooves on gravel and dirt, she took a deep breath and started walking slowly along the side of the road, clutching a basket filled with herbs and plants she had gathered hastily for the sake of her disguise. She hadn't played the part of weak and defenseless in a while, but it was a part she knew how to play convincingly. People, especially men, were all too easily fooled by a delicate appearance and the sight of a young woman all on her own in the middle of nowhere was anything but threatening. If anything, these soldiers would probably see her as nothing, but perhaps the foolhardy daughter of a farmer that lost her way in the woods.

As the horses approached, she kept her head down, knowing full well that any normal girl would want to make herself as scarce as possible in the presence of so many male soldiers.

It didn't take long for the horses to reach her and a loud 'Halt!' was all she heard before a large chestnut stallion blocked her path. She wanted to roll her eyes. So predictable.

"Show yourself!" a voice commanded and the young medic felt an instant dislike for the person. She clutched the basket tighter and tightened the cloak around her, trying to appear as intimidated and defenseless as possible.

"I said, show yourself!" the voice growled and urged his horse forward, so close to her that Sakura could feel the breath of the beast against her hair. Without a warning, the man grabbed the hood of her cloak and pulled it down with more force than was necessary. Her altered brunette locks whipped around her from the force of the pull and the light breeze. She looked up at the man on the horse, putting a mask of fear on her face and she whimpered slightly, her lower lip trembling in what the soldiers presumed was fear.

"P-Please! Don't h-hurt me!" she pleaded, her voice sounding broken and fragile. Sakura wanted to retch in disgust.

"State your business here, girl!" The man was in his mid-forties with greying hair and stormy blue eyes that were alive with youth and arrogance. In his armor of red and dark grey and with the impressive mount under him, Sakura could see why he was the leader. The guy practically emitted authority.

Sakura whimpered once more. "P-Please…..I'm just a f-farmer's daughter. My dad….My dad is sick. I need to take these herbs back to him."

The man glanced at the basket in her hands and then back at her. She made sure to send him a disarmingly innocent look, wide-eyed and fearful, full of worry for her supposedly ill parent.

He dismounted, his heavy boots making a very audible 'thud' as they hit the ground. He walked to her and Sakura made a show of whimpering in fear, stepping back and clutching the basket tighter. He was tall, towering over her and looking down at her with a fiery blue gaze that commanded respect and submission. He reached towards her basket with his gloved hand and grabbed the stem of a plant, bringing it closer to his face and inhaling deeply.

"Lavender. You expect to heal your father with lavender, girl?" he asked in a manner that sounded more mocking than actually questioning.

Sakura wanted to roll her green eyes at his arrogance and complete lack of knowledge, but she managed to control herself. Instead, she flinched as if his words had affected her. "Please….." she said weakly. "We are poor….It's all I can do for him."

"You shouldn't be walking around on your own, girl." he said. "There are dangerous people around here. By the Emperor's decree, any strange activity should be reported immediately."

' _Finally….'_ thought Sakura and schooled her face into a mask of fearful worry. "O-Outlaws? Thieves?"

"The worst of the worst." answered the man. "If those bandits get a hold of a pretty little thing like yourself, thievery will be the last of your troubles."

"Is that….Is that why you are here? To protect us?" she asked hesitantly, making sure to add a hopeful element in her tone of voice.

The man nodded curtly. "You have His Majesty, Emperor Soo-Won to thank for that. If you see any strangers around this area, make sure to report them immediately. It is all for your own safety." he said and turned his back to her, mounting his stallion in seconds. He pulled the reins, turning his horse away from her and retaking his place on the lead. He glanced at her over his shoulder. "Make haste, girl. Get to your father and bar your doors. There's more than bandits roaming these woods." Without sparing her another glance, he spurred his horse on, breaking into a canter that the rest of the soldiers were quick to follow.

Still in her disguise, Sakura watched them disappear in the distance, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake as the horses kicked up gravel and dirt. When she was sure that she was alone, she whispered a quick 'Kai', returning her hair to their previous pink color. She furrowed her brow in disappointment. She hadn't gotten anything out of that man other than the fact that those soldiers were definitely affiliated with Soo-Won and were sent to deal with the bandits they had encountered earlier. She doubted she would have gotten anything else out of him. He didn't seem like a character that caved in easily.

However, it was very much obvious that they were looking for something else too. Or rather, someone. She was pretty sure that all that stuff about 'reporting strangers' was a clear reference to their party. Soo-Won was looking for them, that was for sure.

' _Perhaps…'_ thought Sakura with a calculating look in her eyes. _'We should let him find us…..'_

 **TBC**

 **I know, there is no excuse for such a late update. But it's finally here!**

 **The truth is, I spent some time in Rome and that city leaves no room for anything else other than admiring the beauty it has to offer. I could do nothing else but be in constant awe of everything around me. What a breathtaking city! I may be back home now, but I left a part of me behind. I left Rome totally in love!**

 **Anyway, enough about my trip! I hope you liked the chapter! More stuff happening next chapter, I promise! READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


	14. Chapter 14

"So, I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?" asked Sakura, passing her gaze over each of her teammates.

"The good news?" said Yona hesitantly, noticing Hak roll his eyes and cutting in just in time to keep him from making another one of his crude remarks.

The young medic shot a tight smile towards the princess. "Well, the good news is that these soldiers' mission is to make quick work of the bandits that we encountered earlier. We beat them to the chase, I suppose." She chuckled humorlessly.

"And the bad news?" asked Jeaha, setting his calculating violet gaze on her person.

Sakura sighed. "From what I gathered, they are definitely looking for somebody else. And unless you know of more people being hunted down by the Capital around this area, then that would make us their next target. They didn't say it outright, but it was pretty damn obvious."

"Now, that's worrisome." said Kija, flexing his clawed hand nervously. He did that a lot when he was anxious or deep in thought, Sakura noticed.

"What do we do now?" asked Yun and the pink-haired woman frowned at the flicker of fear in his gaze. Having spent her life in the field and given what she had heard from them, it was easy to forget that Yun and Yona were just children. So, so innocently young. She shouldn't be feeling like that, she knew it. Back home, children younger than them were already out there, completing missions, killing, _dying_. But it was nothing like that in these lands, across the ocean. They didn't know the shinobi way of life. It was hard for them to come to terms with that kind of living. To her, it was second nature. To them….To them it was probably a nightmare.

"Now we lay low." Hak's voice broke her out her thoughts. "We keep watch at all times and we move. We can't stay here any longer. We've been stationary long enough. The more we stay in one place, the more of a target we become. Anyone could tip them off and if they are really looking for us, staying in one place will only make us easy prey."

Sakura nodded, agreeing with the dark-haired warrior. "Hak's right." she said, hoping that her next sentence wouldn't cause too much of a racket. "We need to head into town." All eyes turned to her and she wanted to snort at the predictable reaction.

"Are you out of your freaking mind?" growled Hak. "You want us to walk into town? We might as well hand out heads over to them in a silver platter!"

The medic rolled her eyes. "In case you hadn't noticed, we are dangerously low on supplies. Even _I_ can't create medicine out of thin air. Food we can find, but there are some things I need to go into town to get a hold of."

"Is there no other way?" asked Kija, a lot calmer than Hak, but still quite adverse to the idea.

Sakura shook her head. "I'm afraid not. You all know I wouldn't put any of us in unnecessary danger."

"Do we?"

The young medic glared at Hak. "Are we really reverting back to that?"

"I think it would be unwise to get into a fight right now." intervened Jeaha, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "We have an important decision to make."

"Why do we even have to decide?" snorted Hak. "Going into town is ridiculous."

Her temper flaring, Sakura glared at the man. "Oh, yeah? Great! Next time you get injured, heal your own wounds because I won't be wasting any of my resources on _you_!"

"Now, let us not argue-"

"Is that supposed to be a threat, little girl?"

Jeaha could feel the young woman's energy around the hand he had on her shoulder, traveling up his arm, making the hairs stand on edge. He could swear even his usually sleek hair felt almost frizzled. He could feel her muscles tense under his hand and he tightened his grip on her shoulder, though he was certain that should she really decide to pounce on Hak, there was little he could do to stop her.

"Sakura..." he whispered smoothly, loud enough only for her ears to catch. "Perhaps you should step back. A fight breaking out could alert the soldiers of our position."

The pink-haired woman greeted her teeth, but even with a flared temper she couldn't deny his reasoning. She shook his hand from her shoulder with more force and harshness than was necessary, and turned her back to them.

She glanced at them over her shoulder as she headed back to camp, her green gaze flashing. "Nightfall is approaching. We'll stay here for the night. Let the soldiers put some distance between us. We leave in the morning."

The others were left staring at her back as she disappeared behind the hill, Yona and Yun shifting uncomfortably on their feet. The tension in the air was palpable.

Jeaha sighed, flicking his ponytail over his shoulder. Crossing his arms across his chest, he shifted his gaze to Hak to find him with his eyes closed, muttering obscenities under his breath. Fortunately, not loud enough for Yun and Yona to hear.

Jeaha chuckled, making the dark-haired man look up. "You, my friend, have a very unique way with women."

"Oh, shut up, pervert!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura picked at her dinner as she sat with her feet dangling over the edge of the cliff, away from the others. Usually, she liked to be around her teammates, spend a few minutes talking pleasantly before turning in for the night. With the tension between Hak and herself on the rise once more, she wasn't sure such pleasantries were in order.

She sighed dejectedly, more disappointed in herself than anybody else. Hak's antics she had come to terms with. He was an alpha male and she was certainly not a pushover. She was openly challenging him at every turn and she could understand his explosive temper. Hell, apparently she wasn't much better either.

' _Stupid, stupid temper. You need to learn to keep it cool, girl….'_ she scolded herself. Really, she was supposed to be better than that. The situation with Hak wasn't anything severe, but that meant little to her. If a situation like a bit of harmless bickering could get her riled up like that, then what was she to expect should a real crisis arise? That phase where she exploded at every little thing was supposed to be over. She had worked hard on that, hadn't she? Not hard enough, apparently.

She sighed again, setting her plate aside, unable to work up an appetite.

It had always been one of her biggest disadvantages; that temper of hers. It was a double edged sword, especially in battle. Sometimes, it was the fuel that kept her going, that rejuvenated her resolve. Other times, it was a force so strong, it distracted her and led her to making bad decisions. She really needed to put a lid on it. Especially when she had others depending on her. Dying because of a stupid decision wasn't something she feared. Hell, it'd be her entire fault if she ended up with a sword through her ribcage because she couldn't keep her head straight during battle.

However, having a teammate die because of her, because she couldn't keep her temper in check was something else entirely. That she'd never be able to live with. And this time around her teammates weren't even shinobi. Hell, two of them were children!

She sighed, feeling the exhaustion of the past few days finally catching up. The stars were out, but blessed be Ik-su's Gods for the cover of a moonless night. The light smell of lavender wafted through the air, enriching the light breeze that played with her hair. It was a calm night, but it didn't reflect her mood.

Something cold brushed against her skin inside her shirt and for the first time in a while she remembered the pendant the eccentric priest had given her. Pulling it out, she examined it, admiring the craftsmanship once more. The dragon was ferocious, mighty and proud, woven around the sapphire it was supposed to guard. A protection talisman, according to Ik-Su. A gift from the Gods.

' _What do your Gods want with me, Ik-Su? What could I possible offer them?'_

"That's a beautiful pendant, my lady. I wasn't aware you had something like that."

The young medic didn't even flinch at his sudden appearance. Despite being uniquely light-footed, Jeaha had a strong presence and his energy radiated around him wherever he went. It was a testament of his true power, which Sakura had yet to witness though she was almost sure it'd be nothing sort of graceful and powerful like he was.

"It was a gift. From Ik-Su." she explained, leaving the part about the Gods out. Perhaps, it'd be wiser not to share that just yet. "A way to thank me for helping him, I suppose."

"How generous of him. Protection talismans like that are rare and hard to come by." he said. "May I keep you company?"

"Make yourself comfortable." she responded, motioning to the ground beside her.

He took a seat, flicking his long ponytail over his shoulder. He did that a lot, she noticed, though she couldn't quite tell why. Kija flexed his clawed hand when he was anxious, Hak crossed his arms when he was annoyed and Yona usually fidgeted with the fabric of her sleeves when she was nervous or scared. But with Jeaha, she couldn't pinpoint the reason behind his habit. It could mean anything or it could mean nothing at all. Either way, it bothered her a bit that she was having such a hard time figuring him out. Usually she was really good at reading people. It was an acquired skill that came with practice and Gods knew that with both Sasuke and Kakashi on her team practice wasn't something she lacked.

She glanced at him in the corner of her eye, noticing the closed eyes and the calm look on his handsome face. Composedness and elegance seemed to be his natural state of being. It made her wonder…..Was there anything that made him loose his cool? Was there anything that made his temper flare and his blood boil? Was there anything that could bring the beast out of him?

Looking up at the stars, she thought back on earlier that day and instantly felt guilty for her behavior. She frowned, clenching her first around her pendant. Putting it back inside her shirt, she started fidgeting with a few tall blades of grass.

"A frown doesn't belong on a face like yours, milady. It doesn't do you any justice."

Chuckling at the compliment but not looking up at him, she took a deep breath. "I'd like to apologize for my behavior earlier." she said softly, thinking back on how rudely she had shrugged him off despite not having anything to do with her anger. "It was uncalled for. Please accept my sincerest apologies." She bowed her head respectfully, hoping to convey how disappointed she was in her lack of restraint.

To her utter surprise, the man just threw his head back and laughed. It was a hearty laugh, rich and velvety. Due to their proximity, she could almost feel the vibrations of his chest down her spine. She tilted her head to the left in confusion.

"My fair lady, there is nothing to apologize for."

She frowned. "I beg to differ. My behavior was horrible."

He chuckled in response. "But it really wasn't. If anything, I dare say it was justified. Hak can be quite infuriating when he wants to."

"Even so, you did nothing to wrong me. I shouldn't have shaken you off like that."

His calculating violet eyes found hers and she put effort into not shifting uneasily under his penetrating gaze. A few seconds later, he smiled and nodded at her. "If it appeases you, I accept your sincere apology, milady. Consider yourself forgiven and the incident forgotten." He bowed his head as if to validate his statement, his long green ponytail falling over his and shoulder and down his chest once more.

She raised her gaze to examine him, trying to figure out what was really going on behind those enigmatic violet eyes. Giving up after a few seconds, she merely chuckled. "It does appease me, my kind sir, thank you."

He nodded at her, reaching over to put a stray lock of hair behind her ear, taking her completely by surprise. "You should get some rest, milady. This might be the last restful night's sleep you'll get in a while."

"I'm not that tired." The yawn that followed soon after completely nullified her statement. With her apology accepted, her guilt-induced alertness was gone and she could almost hear her body screaming at her to just lay down and sleep till morning.

The green-haired dragon chuckled. "Yeah, I can see that. You are too stubborn for your own good."

"So I've been told." she responded softly, her eyelids dropping slowly as her body relaxed to the point that she was leaning on the man without even realizing it. His shoulder was comfortable. More comfortable than a man's shoulder should be, she noted absently, though her tired brain didn't dwell on it for long as she surrendered herself to the blissful embrace of a dreamless sleep.

Jeaha stared down at the pink head resting on his shoulder and made himself more comfortable knowing that he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon.

"Rest now, Sakura. And don't worry, I'll keep you safe."

His words were only a whisper and by the time the wind carried them to her ear she was already asleep.

 **TBC**

 **Hey guys and gals!**

 **Right, I have a confession to make. I deliberately took it slow and wrote this chapter for the sake of adding that JeahaXSakura scene at the end. I know some of you wanted to see more action but I'm a big fan of developing romances the right way. And a good romance needs time to develop so these scenes are necessary to achieve that. I hope you don't mind too much!**

 **Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! READ AND REVIEW!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Lots of love!**


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